Iran trying to drive wedge between US, Europe: UAE
new york — A UAE minister warned European powers on Tuesday that it was offering Iran a glimmer of hope by trying to keep trade flowing, but that ultimately they would fall behind the United States’ tough approach on Tehran.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash told Reuters at the United Nations General Assembly he was concerned by the public differences between the remaining European signatories to the accord — France, Britain and Germany — and the United States. All of them agree that Iran’s longterm nuclear activities should be curbed, its ballistic missile programme curbed and its regional influence reigned in.
“The faster we can bridge those opinions the better,” Dr Gargash said. “The Iranians are counting on this and perhaps creating a wedge between Washington’s approach and the European policy.”
Reaffirmed strong support for UN-led political process after Geneva setback. Will fully support UN proposals for new talks soon
Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
dubai — The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it would fully support new Yemen peace talks after UN-brokered negotiations broke down earlier this month.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, said he had had “very productive discussions” with UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.
“Reaffirmed strong support for UN-led political process after Geneva setback,” Gargash tweeted. “Will fully support UN proposals for new talks soon.”
The UN envoy has been shuttling between all sides in the devastating civil war that has killed nearly 10,000 people in Yemen since March 2015 in a bid to get peace talks back on track.
Planned negotiations in Geneva broke down on September 8 after rebel delegates refused to show up until they received guarantees that they would be able to fly home afterwards.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and their allies have enforced an air and sea blockade of rebel-held areas of Yemen since they intervened in March 2015 when President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fled into exile.
On September 9, government and UAE troops resumed their offensive on the rebel-held Red Sea port of Hodeida after a brief suspension while the UN attempted to convene peace talks.
The assault on the port city was the trigger for the new peace push.
Hodeida is the point of entry for UN aid shipments and also handles 70 per cent of commercial shipping, and the UN warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if the port were put out of use.
The Hadi government is recognised by the international community even though the rebels control the capital Sanaa and much of the north.
The civil war has pushed Yemen, long the Arab world’s poorest country, to the brink of famine.