Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met the US secretary of state John Kerry in Brussels where the two diplomats discussed ways to counter terrorism.
Sheikh Abdullah led the UAE delegation to the GCC-EU summit held on Monday in the Belgian capital, where he and Mr Kerry also spoke about relations between the GCC and the US, according to Wam, the state news agency.
The ministers discussed the outcome reached during the GCC summit held in Riyadh this year, regional developments and international efforts to combat terrorism.
The summit is of great importance for the US and the GCC because it ensures Gulf concerns are heard in Washington at the highest level and on a regular basis.
During the GCC-EU meeting, both parties welcomed the progress that had been made at the Camp David summit and stressed the need to resolve regional conflicts through political and peaceful means.
Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Kerry discussed the situations in Yemen, Syria, Libya and Iraq as well as the Middle East peace process and ISIL.
They spoke of ways to ease tensions in Iraq, address the demands of Iraqi society through reform and ending hostilities in Yemen.
The meeting also touched on Iran’s interference in the region’s affairs.
Adel Al Juberi, the Saudi foreign minister who led the GCC delegation, said that a political settlement in Yemen would have to be based on three principles – the GCC initiative, the outcome of the Yemeni national dialogue and last year’s UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to the violence.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
