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Shaikh Abdullah praises Tunisian support to UAE on islands

Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday hailed Tunisia’s strong stance during the Arab League’s last session supporting the UAE on the issue of its three islands occupied by Iran.

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In a press conference held at the ministry in Abu Dhabi along with Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafiq Abdul Salam at the end of the sixth session of the UAE-Tunisia Joint Committee, Shaikh Abdullah said the bond between the UAE and Tunisia is based on good relations, distinctive mutual understanding and cooperation in various fields.

Shaikh Abdullah emphasised that the UAE attaches paramount importance to its fraternal relations with Tunisia.

He said that the committee’s meeting comes at a transitional stage for the Tunisian Government, and it reflects the UAE’s sincere desire to forge closer relations with the Republic and help maintain the political and economic stability there, supporting it to move forward in the process of political and economic reforms.

He congratulated the Tunisian people for their achievement of harmony and a political process, which looked difficult and painful. But Tunisia sent out a message of hope to the brothers in the countries of the Arab Spring that there is a good path to promote national unity, he said.

Shaikh Abdullah expressed his pride at the results of the meetings of the UAE-Tunisia Joint Committee.

“We desire for more cooperation during my next visit to Tunisia or the seventh session of the committee’s meetings to discuss the prospects of a new variety in the relations between the two countries,” said Shaikh Abdullah.

“At the Joint Committee meetings, we discussed cooperation in the field of scientific research and renewable energy between universities in the UAE and the University of Zaytuna in Tunisia. The meeting also discussed the development of certain agricultural programmes in addition to cooperation in the environmental field.”

He pointed out that the two countries also drawn up a framework for cooperation between the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and certain Tunisian authorities to guarantee a number of programmes envisioned in Tunisia in the fields of dams, roads, health and rural development.

On his part, the Tunisian foreign minister thanked Shaikh Abdullah for hosting the Joint Committee meetings in the framework of strengthening the relations between the two countries. He said the UAE and Tunisia enjoy distinguished fraternal ties, thanking the UAE for donating $200 million for enhancing the health services in Tunisia.

“The new Tunisia is more open to the Arab and GCC states, especially the UAE. We have briefed Shaikh Abdullah on the situation in Tunisia and about the dominant reconciliation spirit there. Tunisia has overcome instability and now enjoys the security and political stability. We are aspiring to achieve future endeavours for development and building of the country,” he added.