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US committed to supporting UAE's military needs, collaborating for Expo 2020 success: Consul General

Dubai - Frayne said both the countries remain partners-of-choice in defense trade and military cooperation.

The US is "deeply committed" to helping the UAE with military assistance and equipment needed to fight its enemies and protect its people, the US Consul General Philip Frayne told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.

"For more than 20 years of our security relationship with the UAE, we have provided technical and military assistance. We will continue to maintain and strengthen that relationship by supplying the equipment the UAE needs to secure and defend its own people from threats, including those posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran," said Frayne.

When asked whether the US will sell the advanced F-35 fighter jets to the UAE, the Consul General said US will support the UAE's military needs but "in a way that preserves our commitment to Israel's security as well".

The UAE is aiming to procure F-35 stealth fighter jets, and it has been widely anticipated that the US will sell F-35s to the UAE after it signed the US-brokered peace agreement to normalise ties with Israel this September. But Dr Anwar Gargash, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has reiterated that the request for the fighter jets was on the table for years. The minister said earlier that UAE had "legitimate requests" to enhance its military capabilities. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said that he has "no problem" selling F-35s to the UAE.

Commenting on the importance of the strategic dialogue that the UAE and the US launched on Sunday, Frayne said both the countries remain partners-of-choice in defense trade and military cooperation.

"Our partnership helps make progress on key regional and global priorities, including pushing back on some states' malign activity, resolving regional problems, combatting extremism, and advancing peaceful religious coexistence."

The dialogue is aimed at establishing a framework for deeper cooperation and discussion in eight areas like policy making, defense and security, law enforcement, intelligence and counterterrorism, economy, energy, and commerce, cultural and education, space, and human rights.

The Consul General said the partnership between the US and the UAE "is critical in protecting security interests in non-proliferation and addressing regional threats, including support of our maximum pressure campaign to counter Iran".

"Iran's destabilising actions around the region put our partners at risk, such as the unprovoked Iranian attack against oil tankers moored off the coast of Fujairah in 2019 and the Iranian attacks against oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais in Saudi Arabia. These attacks showed the Iranians have no qualms directly striking a sovereign country," said Frayne.

He said improving ties between Israel and other countries in the region is a positive development.

"Increased cooperation with the UAE will help strengthen anti-money laundering activities and efforts to counter terrorist financing, as well as promote the sharing of information related to economic sanctions."

The diplomat said both the countries are seeking to increase data and information sharing related to passenger travel in the near term.

"US-UAE law enforcement and border security partnership expands our cooperation and capacity to combat criminal activity and protect borders while facilitating travel. Increased mutual law enforcement cooperation will protect both the United States and the UAE, as well as our overseas interests."

The Consul General said mutual trade and investment, and cooperation in space science, human rights and also Dubai Expo will also get special attention as areas for enhanced cooperation.

"The US is committed to contributing to the success of Expo 2020 Dubai and is collaborating with Emirati and other partners to deliver top-tier programmes that showcase American culture, commerce, and innovation at the US pavilion. We are grateful to the UAE for its generosity to ensure the US will have an official pavilion at the Expo for millions of visitors from the Middle East and South Asia to experience American culture," said the diplomat.