Russia is a strategic partner for the UAE, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said on Tuesday as he welcomed his Russian counterpart to Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Abdullah and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described their discussions as friendly and built on mutual trust.
“Sergey and I are very good friends who often compare notes not only on politics but on many other things and issues," Sheikh Abdullah said, adding the relationship went beyond diplomat speak.
He cited the strategic partnership agreement between both countries as a case in point as the UAE became the first country at the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) to sign such an accord with Russia.
The strategic partnership agreement signed in 2018 and the ties resulting from it are thanks to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mr Lavrov, Sheikh Abdullah said.
"Had it not been for these people, it would have been really difficult to develop such ties,” said Sheikh Abdullah, who has been in office since 2006.
Mr Lavrov told his counterpart it was high time both counties enhanced their co-operation at the economic, high-tech and security levels.
“We share common ground on a wide array of issues and value our strategic partnership,” said Mr Lavrov, who has served as Russia’s foreign minister since 2004.
Iran is holding much of the region’s attention and Mr Lavrov said Russia welcomes the US drive towards rejoining the 2015 nuclear accord with Tehran.
“There are growing voices that say more needs to be discussed, that Iran's missile programme needs to stop, that Iran’s regional activities need to stop. The Iran deal needs to be treated separately, we should not incorporate any other elements or concern no matter how grave they may be,” he said.
“We believe that the parties should tackle the Iranian issue in simultaneous steps.”
As Syria approaches 10 years of civil war, Sheikh Abdullah said it should return to the Arab fold, but the “Syrian regime and the Arab League should exert more efforts.”
He added that the main obstacle to co-ordination with Syria was the US Caesar Act, the latest round of American sanctions imposed on Damascus.
“It’s extremely difficult to co-operate with Syria in some issues because of this Act, not just at the state level but for the private sector as well. We expressed our opinion frankly to the US,” said Sheikh Abdullah.
Syria has already been under US and European Union sanctions that have frozen the assets of the state and hundreds of companies and individuals. Washington already bans export and investment to Syria by Americans, as well as transactions involving oil and hydrocarbon products.
But the new sanctions can freeze the assets of anyone dealing with Syria, regardless of nationality, and cover many more sectors. It also targets those dealing with entities from Russia and Iran, Assad’s main backers.
Syrian authorities blame Western sanctions for widespread hardship among ordinary residents, where the currency’s free fall collapse.
At the news conference, the Russian foreign minister also said that Moscow hoped the UAE would use the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccines as part of its national campaign.
They also touched on recent space co-operation, the UAE's mission to Mars and bilateral trade.
The two men also discussed regional issues, with Mr Lavrov saying Russia was standing by to work with the UAE to help solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
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Gallery: Sergey Lavrov receives Order of the Union from Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
Chelsea 2 Burnley 3
Chelsea Morata (69'), Luiz (88')
Burnley Vokes (24', 43'), Ward (39')
Red cards Cahill, Fabregas (Chelsea)
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
The%20specs
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THREE
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Titan Sports Academy:
Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps
Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone: 971 50 220 0326
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Dunki
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
