Obama meets UAE Crown Prince reaffirm mutual commitment on defense, security

U.S. President Obama and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan on Monday reaffirmed their respective countries’ commitments to halt terror groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State.

The President and the Crown Prince discussed a range of regional challenges, including the ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Syria; and efforts to reach a long-term, comprehensive deal between the P5+1 and Iran to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. The

The two met at the White House to discuss a variety of topics, a statement from the White Houseindicated.

During their meeting at the White House, President Obama and the UAE’s Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed a range of regional and bilateral issues, and consulted on how best to deepen our cooperation in areas of shared interest.

“The leaders discussed the ongoing need for expedited provision of essential military equipment and supplies to the UAE” in the context of the fight against Islamic State and U.S. support for the Yemen operations, said Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.

They underscored the strong partnership between our two countries, and reaffirmed their mutual commitment to close defense and security cooperation, including in counter-terrorism, in particular against ISIS and Al Qaeda.  The President and Crown Prince also reviewed the expanding ties between the United States and the UAE in areas ranging from trade and commerce to clean energy.

The President and Crown Prince also discussed the upcoming May meetings at the White House and Camp David with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders as an important opportunity to deepen cooperation between the U.S. and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners.

The Crown Prince and President expressed a shared commitment to the importance of the Gulf Cooperation Council-US alliance as a key pillar of regional stability and security. The two leaders agreed on the need to enhance security cooperation between the GCC and US to challenge aggression and extremism throughout the region, a key focus of next month’s Camp David meeting.

Courtesy: IRIA

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