ABU DHABI // Philip Hammond, the UK defence secretary, is to visit the UAE and other Arabian Gulf countries to discuss the threat militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) poses to Iraq and the wider region.
Mr Hammond was due to arrive in the Gulf early Tuesday to meet foreign and defence ministers of the governments of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.
The two-day visit is seen by London as an opportunity to discuss the need for a political solution to the crisis in Iraq which is inclusive and representative of all Iraq’s communities.
The meetings with allies will again demonstrate the UK’s commitment to the security of Gulf countries, said a UK Government spokesman.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Hammond said: “The UK is deeply concerned by the recent developments in Iraq and the gains made by ISIL. Although the UK is not planning a military intervention, we are committed to finding a long-term political solution.
“We remain committed to the security of the Gulf and want to reassure our friends and allies that we will do everything possible to support those who are working for a stable and democratic Iraqi state and to alleviate humanitarian suffering.
“As the Foreign Secretary [William Hague] and I have previously made clear, the response to these events must be led by the Iraqi government. We are urgently looking at ways to help the Iraqi government, for example with counter-terrorist expertise.”
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