John Kerry arrives in Abu Dhabi for Syria discussions

US Secretary of State John Kerry walks with Deputy Chief of Mission Ethan Goldrich at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and US Ambassador to the UAE Barbara Leaf on arrival in Abu Dhabi. Jacquelyn Martin / AP Photo

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tours the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yousif Abdullah Al Obaidi, the mosque’s general manager, second left, and Hajar Alali, the mosque’s cultural guide. Reuters / Jacquelyn Martin/Pool

John Kerry at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Reuters / Jacquelyn Martin/Pool

The US Secretary of State tours the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Reuters / Jacquelyn Martin/Pool

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs with John Kerry at the Grand Mosque. Reuters / Jacquelyn Martin/Pool

John Kerry with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir. Reuters / Jacquelyn Martin/Pool

John Kerry with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at the Grand Mosque. EPA / US Department of State

John Kerry and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed arrive at Mina Palace for talks. EPA / US Department of State

John Kerry with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at the Grand Mosque. Jacquelyn Martin / AP Photo

John Kerry with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at the Grand Mosque. Jacquelyn Martin / AP Photo

John Kerry and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed tour the Grand Mosque. Wam

John Kerry with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at the Grand Mosque. Wam

ABU DHABI // Visiting US secretary of state John Kerry on Monday praised the UAE’s efforts to bring peace to the region, and the sacrifices it has made.

Mr Kerry was on Monday received by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

Sheikh Mohammed welcomed him and spoke of the strong ties between the two nations.

“We respect what the UAE has been able to do to be able to accomplish significant progress in Yemen,” Mr Kerry said.

“We understand completely and support the reasons Saudi Arabia and the UAE felt compelled to take acts of self-defence and protect the security of this region.

“And I know that the UAE has made sacrifices in that effort … and we respect the values that the UAE is standing up for.”

The two spoke of efforts to halt Syria’s civil war through talks between the rebels and the government of president Bashar Al Assad, and the need to stop ISIL.

“We are deeply committed to trying to achieve a ceasefire and a political process,” Mr Kerry said.

“We want the violence to stop and we want a secular Syria in which the people choose their future.

“So we agreed today on a number of things, specifically to try to accelerate the defeat of Daesh.”

Mr Kerry briefed Sheikh Mohammed on the recent Vienna talks about the Syrian crisis, where major powers set a date of January 1 for talks and a ceasefire to begin, but the participants have yet to be identified.

The two also spoke of the situation in Libya. “I thank the UAE for their commitment to trying to make sure that radical religious extremism is pushed back in favour of a broad-based, tolerant, secular governance that allows the people of Libya to be able to choose their future.”

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Deputy National Security Adviser; Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US; and other senior officials.

Mr Kerry on Tuesday flies to Palestine and Israel for talks on the surge of violence there.