Abdullah bin Zayed and Foreign Minister of Palau discuss relations

MELEKEOK, 16th May, 2016 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has met with Billy Kuartei, Foreign Minister of Palau, in the capital, Melekeok, During the meeting, they reviewed relations between the UAE and Palau and ways of boosting them to contribute to opening new horizons of joint action, in addition to examining the possibility of providing opportunities for partnerships between the two countries in many different sectors. They also exchanged views on a number of issues of common interest in addition to the current and latest developments in the regional and international arenas. His Highness Sheikh Abdullah commended the relations between the UAE and the Republic of Palau, thanks to the support and the keenness of the leaderships of the two countries on the promotion and development of these in various fields, especially in the field of renewable energy. The Foreign Minister of Palau welcomed Sheikh Abdullah and his accompanying delegation, expressing his hopes that the visit will contribute to strengthening the bonds between the two countries for the benefit and good of their peoples. The meeting was attended by Mousa Abdul Wahid Al Khaja, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines and Non-resident Ambassador to Palau. The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Palau established formal diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level in October, 2009. Palau is made up of several hundred small islands, of which only eight are permanently inhabited, and covers a land area of around 460 sq. km., although its offshore Exclusive Economic Zone covers over 600,000 sq. km. Of these, over 500,000 sq. km. were declared as a marine sanctuary last year, where foreign commercial fishing and oil exploration is banned. Palau is one of the countries most at risk from climate change and sea level rises, with as much as 25 per cent of Palau's land surface estimated to be very close to, or below, sea level. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395295478660.html