ABU DHABI // Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, held talks with King Salman on regional issues including security cooperation and GCC unity.
The two leaders met in Jeddah on Friday and discussed regional developments and “stressed the importance of energising the Arab joint action to face challenges, including regional aggressive interference, risks posed by violence, extremism” and terrorist groups, state news agency Wam reported.
No details were provided, but battling ISIL and other extremist groups and containing Iran’s advances were topics at the centre of the recent summit with US president Donald Trump two weeks ago.
The Saudi crown prince and deputy crown prince, the UAE’s foreign minister and the national security adviser, among other senior Saudi and Emirati officials, also attended the talks.
The kingdom’s leadership and senior members of government relocate during Ramadan to the Red Sea port city from Riyadh each year.
“The UAE and Saudi Arabia stand together in one trench in confronting challenges and risks facing countries in the region,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “They are doing so based on longstanding principles that elevate the values of solidarity and cooperation. They also believe that the GCC will be stronger and more influential when its member states and their peoples stand united.”
He added that regional risks and challenges, as well as national security and the preservation of development gains require a united GCC, according to the agency.
The readouts by the Saudi and Emirati news agencies made no mention of the recent eruption of tensions with Qatar, but the statements appeared to be a reference to the issue.
Sheikh Mohammed and King Salman also shared mutual Ramadan well wishes.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
