UAE, Riyadh welcome US move to label Al Houthis as terrorists

‘ Reopening of airspace is positive step to rebuild trust’

The UAE has ended its differences with Qatar but still there is a need to rebuild trust, Dr. Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs has said.

“There are pending issues with Qatar that still need cooperation to be solved, however, the reopening of airspace to Qatar is a positive step to rebuild trust,” Gargash said.

He said the joint Gulf action has returned to its normal path.

On UAE’s relations with Turkey, Gargash said the UAE, the largest trade partner of Turkey in the Arab region, seeks to have normal ties with Ankara. “Turkey’s support to the Muslim Brotherhood reflects negatively on its relations with Arab countries,” he said, adding Turkey needs to reconsider its relations with the Muslim Brotherhood.

“There is complete coordination between the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt with regards to the regional issues, and we support diplomatic solution to the Iranian dossier,” Gargash said.

He referred to threats to Saudi Arabia’s security and said: “Saudi Arabia’s security lies within the UAE’s security, and we cannot ignore missile attacks against the Kingdom.”

Gargash reiterated the UAE’s trust in the Saudi role in solving inter- differences. “The UAE enhances its position as an attractive hub for development and adopts an approach for interfaith tolerance,” he said.

Turkey’s support to Muslim Brotherhood reflects negatively on its relations with Arab countries.”

Bahrain’s invitation

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al Zayani sent a letter to his Qatari counterpart, Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, inviting a Qatari delegation to pay an official visit “as soon as possible” for talks, according to the foreign ministry. This comes a day after Bahrain “strongly condemned the Qatari coastguard’s arrest of Bahraini bodybuilding champion Sami Al Haddad while he was on a fishing cruise.

Anwar Gargash | UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs