UAE affirms support to Afghan peace move

Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has stressed that the UAE is seeking to promote peace through direct negotiations between the Afghanistan government and the Taleban.

Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Barack Obama with other leaders and top military officers at the Heads of Sate and Government meeting on Afghanistan in Chicago, Illinois, during the Nato 2012 Summit on Monday. — AFP

Addressing a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) leaders and leaders of 19 countries participating in the International Security Assistant Force (ISAF), he reiterated the UAE’s commitment to back transferring of security responsibility to the Afghan security forces.

Shaikh Abdullah expressed his thanks during the meeting, which was also attended by US President Barack Obama and Nato leaders, to those men and women who assisted in reaching this strategic decision, and to achieve security in Afghanistan.

The UAE foreign minister also participated in the Nato’s 25^th summit meeting, which brought together leaders from more than 50 nations, including 28 Nato countries, in addition to European Union (EU) leaders and Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

On his part, Obama said: “Now, the presence of so many leaders and nations illustrates once again that this is a truly international mission. And that’s because the region and the world have a profound interest in an Afghanistan that is stable, that is secure, and that is not a source of attacks on other nations.”

He welcomed Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s participation in the meeting and stressed that all have agreed upon the transitional phase in Afghanistan and handing over the whole responsibility to Afghan authorities.

The UAE’s delegation to the summit included Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US; Major-General Faris Al Mazrouei, Assistant Foreign Minister for Security and Military Affairs; and Mohammad Ali Mohammed Al Naqbi, UAE Ambassador to the Nato. — Wam

Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Barack Obama with other leaders and top military officers at the Heads of Sate and Government meeting on Afghanistan in Chicago, Illinois, during the Nato 2012 Summit on Monday.