Al Murr and Belgian counterpart discuss relations

Brussels (WAM): Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of Federal National Council, FNC, has met with his Belgian counterpart, Andre Flahaut, President of the Chamber of the Belgian Federal Parliament, at the headquarters of the parliament in Brussels. During the meeting, Al Murr stressed the strong and deep relations and strategic partnership between the UAE and Belgium and the important role played by Brussels, through its membership in the European Union, in supporting the issues of security and stability in the Middle East. Al Murr pointed out the importance of strengthening parliamentary relations between the Federal National Council and the Belgian Parliament, particularly in the context of issues of common concern such as Middle East issues, noting the importance of establishing a parliamentary mechanism to strengthen cooperation between the two parliaments in international forums, the International Parliamentary Union and issues presented in the European Parliament concerning the UAE Speaking of the foreign policy of the UAE, Murr stressed that the policies of the UAE are characterised by moderation and impartiality, non-interference in the affairs of others, respect for neighbouring countries and the consolidation of the objectives and principles of international legitimacy, pointing out that the UAE is committed to these principles in regional and international treaties and conventions, and has taken several steps to achieve those goals. He explained that the UAE is keen to respect neighbouring countries and has a wise policy and a civilised peaceful approach to dealing with various issues in order to preserve the security and stability of the region, pointing out that one of the most prominent of these issues is its clear stand over four decades on the issue of the occupation of the three UAE islands, Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, by the Islamic Republic of Iran. He re-affirmed the UAE's firm stand and its call for ending the occupation of the three islands by peaceful means through direct negotiations, according to a fixed schedule, or to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice in order to establish security and stability in the region and build fraternal relations dominated by serenity and good-neighbourliness, as well as mutual understanding. The speaker pointed out the steady growth of the volume of trade exchanges, especially in the field of investment, where the value of trade and mutual investments reached around 4 billion Euros over the past year, in addition to the existence of more than 30 Belgian companies in the UAE, and commended the recommendation of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Internal Affairs in the European Parliament regarding the cancellation of the European Union visa regulations for UAE citizens. During the meeting, Al Murr hailed Belgium's stand for security and stability in the Gulf through its support for the Gulf Initiative on Yemen and its stance on the Iranian nuclear programme, supporting for its peaceful use. The two sides reviewed the latest developments in the region, especially the developments in the Syrian crisis, where Al Murr pointed out the importance of working on the completion of efforts to achieve the legitimate demands of the Syrian people, confirming that the UAE supports regional and international efforts to achieve stability and security in the countries of the region, and also its support for international efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis faced by Syrian civilians, whereby it has provided nearly US$360 million to support the humanitarian situation in Syria, as well as the provision of housing, education and health services for them. Al Murr stressed the importance of Belgian support for the efforts of the Palestinian people for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and their rejection of the settlement policy and the seizure of Palestinian land in all its forms and methods by Israeli. For his part, Andre Flahaut expressed his admiration for the progress that the UAE has witnessed, stressing that it has been able, thanks to its wise leadership, over a short period, to establish a modern unified state which has all potential and principles that have helped it to consolidate its position at the regional and international level in various sectors of the political, economic and cultural fields. The meeting was attended by the UAE Federal National Council's delegation, including Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Faisal Abdullah Al Tunaiji, Mohammed Saeed Al Raqbani, Dr. Jacob Ali Al Naqbi, Dr. Mohammed Salem Al Mazroui, Secretary-General of the Council and Suleiman Hamed Salem Al Mazrouei, Head of the UAE Mission to the European Union and UAE Ambassador to Belgium. – Emirates News Agency, WAM