Abdullah seeks talks to resolve islands issue

The UAE’s three islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa are still under Ira-nian occupation, UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has said, but affirmed that his country is committed to resolving the issue through international me-diation or direct negotiations.

‘Though this occupation is illegitimate, the UAE is still committed to international me-diation or direct negotiations to reach a settlement to the territorial dispute that poses threat to international stability,’ Shaikh Abdullah told the fourth meeting of foreign ministers of the Conference on Interac-tion and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) which opened on Wednesday in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The UAE foreign minister said that Teheran’s reluctance had been hampering any progress since 1971. Shaikh Abdullah renewed the UAE’s commitment to international engagement either through international mediation, including the UN and the International Court of Justice, or direct bilateral negotiations.

The ministers will discuss the status and prospects of the CICA and exchange of views on topical issues, such as the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, non-proliferation, combating transnational crime, as well as the priorities of economic cooperation.

Turning to Asia, Shaikh Abdullah said the continent is still facing several snags on its way towards employing its full potentials at the international scene.

On Syria, the UAE foreign minister regretted that the humanitarian situation is getting worse day after day due to the obstinacy of the Syrian regime. He added that the UAE and its sister member states in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) had committed to provide cash and kind assistance to neighbouring countries receiving Syrian refugees.

“What serves the interest of Syria at present is a transition to a new government and no doubt the international sanctions is the best option to weaken the Syrian regime,” Shaikh Abdullah said, noting that the UAE, while acknowledging the positive steps taken by the Asian permanent members at the United Nations Security Council, appeals to those countries to reconsider their stances and support the transition process in Syria.

Regarding Palestine, the UAE foreign minister described the Middle East peace process as “stagnant” as Israel’s continuous settlement policy is still blocking the way towards reaching any lasting and fair solution to the issue.

“The UAE believes that Asia can present a bright example of tolerance and cross-cultural and ethnic diversity. At the time we believe in the principle of non-interference in others’ internal affairs, we would like to remind Asian governments of their responsibility of protect minorities living within their borders.

The UAE is deeply concerned over the ethnic violent acts in Myanmar and calls on participating countries to urge the government of Myanmar to cease violations of international rights of minorities there.”

In his address, Shaikh Abdullah also tackled the issue of fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia, saying the UAE had played a leading role in that respect by hosting two major international conferences in Dubai aimed at mobilising public and private efforts to combat maritime piracy.

Asian countries, he said, are joining forces successfully to lay down an affective mechanism to address daunting challenges. —