Emirates continues to strengthen ties with Greece with a view to the Mediterranean
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Greece continue to show signs of closeness and good harmony. A further sign of this took place during this Wednesday's event, when Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the Emirate's armed forces, received Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek prime minister.
At the meeting held at the Al-Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, both sides discussed the strong relations existing between the Emirates and Greece and ways of strengthening mutual ties and developing the common interests of both nations.
There are several areas in which both the Gulf country and the European country have shared interests, such as investment, trade, politics, culture and defence (indeed, in September they staged major joint military exercises to coordinate a military response to a possible situation requiring it).
The very important issue of the coronavirus health crisis and the international community's efforts to contain its humanitarian and economic repercussions were also discussed. Precisely, the UAE is playing an important role in international cooperation to help dozens of countries combat the COVID-19; this includes Greece, for which the Greek prime minister was grateful.
Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed relevant issues relating to the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean, particularly following the latest diplomatic clashes with Turkey over the Eurasian country's hydrocarbon prospections in waters considered to be its own by other countries such as Greece and Cyprus.
Both sides affirmed the distinguished relations between their nations, which are based on a strong political will and permanent co-operation, while agreeing on many issues related to the search for peaceful solutions to the conflicts and crises in the region; they thus boosted their diplomatic efforts to achieve peace, prosperity and development and foster security and stability in the region and the rest of the world.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed stated that promoting dialogue, peaceful actions, respect for the sovereignty of the countries and not interfering in their internal affairs is the right way to resolve disputes in the region, and pointed out that the UAE is always working to establish peace.
It was also agreed that terrorism is the most serious threat to international peace and development, and denounced any manipulation of religion to promote hate speech.
Mitsotakis praised the bilateral relations between the two countries and their general co-operation, while stressing his country's enthusiasm for improving its co-ordination with the United Arab Emirates. He praised the initiatives launched by the UAE to inculcate values of peaceful coexistence and tolerance between peoples, particularly in times of crisis.
He also praised the historic peace agreement signed between the United Arab Emirates and Israel and its role in strengthening regional security and stability and opening up new avenues for the countries of the region. The famous US-sponsored Abraham Accords seek to bring peace to the Middle East and resolve entrenched problems such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The summit was attended by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al-Nahyan, national security adviser to the Emirates, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister of presidential affairs, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sultan bin Ahmed al-Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Mohamed Meer Alraeesi, UAE Ambassador to Greece, and Mohamed Mubarak al-Mazrouei, Under-Secretary of the Court of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
On the Greek side, Nikos Dendias, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Development and Investment, Costas Frangoyiannis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dionyssios Zois, Greek Ambassador to the UAE, attended.
