UAE, Cyprus, Greece and Israel discuss enhanced co-operation in landmark talks

The UAE held talks on the situation in eastern Mediterranean with the foreign ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Israel, as the four countries discussed closer co-operation in trade, investment, manufacturing, technology, science and health services.

The Foreign Ministry of Cyprus, which hosted the discussions in Paphos, said the first meeting of the four officials was made possible by the recent normalisation of relations between the UAE and Israel.

The politicians also discussed Tehran, with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi saying his country will do "whatever it takes" to ensure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

"We also took time to discuss challenges that Iran and Hezbollah and other extremists pose to the stability of the Middle East and to regional peace," he said.

The UAE was represented by Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to President Sheikh Khalifa. The Covid-19 situation and energy security were also on the agenda.

Dr Gargash said the UAE believed holding such conversations regularly would solidify relations between the countries, allowing for stronger levels of co-operation in addressing the challenges facing the region.

“The UAE is seeking an ambitious and positive agenda in the region,” he said after the meeting.

He said the Abraham Accords were driven by “the necessity of an alternative strategic view of the region based on stability, prosperity and opportunity”.

“The UAE shares with its friends and allies a common understanding of the need to engage in joint efforts to support regional stability and that the political solution is the only way to resolve and end the current crises in our region,” Dr Gargash said.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said the meeting of the “like-minded countries” after the Abraham Accords signified a “new era our region has entered”.

He said a new narrative was being written for the region thanks to closer ties, “one that is cracking the glass ceiling of the prevailing restrictive narrative of our neighbourhood as a region of turmoil, conflict and crisis”.

Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias updated his counterparts after his meeting on Thursday with Turkish officials.

Cyprus and Greece are involved in a dispute with Turkey over maritime territory in the gas-rich eastern Mediterranean, although there are signs that tensions could be easing.

However, Mr Dendias clashed with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu after talks designed to show the neighbours were putting aside their differences.

After Mr Dendias accused Turkey of breaching Greece’s sovereign rights and reiterated that EU sanctions against Ankara were still on the table, Mr Cavusoglu hit back, calling those remarks unacceptable.

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

FIGHT CARD

Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31

Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)

Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)

Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)

Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)

Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)

Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)

Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)

Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)

Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)

Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)

Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm

Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: CVT auto

Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km

On sale: now

Price: from Dh195,000

The finalists

Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho

Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE