Mohamed bin Zayed receives Yemeni president

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has reiterated the unequivocal, historic, and supportive stance of the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, towards Yemen and its people.

Sheikh Mohamed affirmed, during talks with visiting President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi of Yemen, the UAE's commitment to supporting the legitimacy in Yemen in a manner that restores the security and stability to Yemen and preserves its sovereignty, unity, Arab identity and fulfils the aspirations of the Yemeni people for security, stability, building and progress.

Sheikh Mohamed and President Hadi reviewed the brotherly bilateral ties and joint co-operation and took stock of the latest developments in Yemen.

'What the UAE is doing under the umbrella of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition to support Yemen and its people springs from deep conviction of the vital importance of the joint Arab solidarity and co-operation to protect the Arab region from foreign ambitions, risks and interventions into its internal affairs, and to stand with full force and resolve against any attempt to undermine its security and stability,' HH stressed.

He expressed the hope that welfare and peace would prevail in Yemen and that the Yemeni people would enjoy security and stability so as to pursue the path towards building and development.

Sheikh Mohamed also highly valued the able leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, to the Arab Coalition to support the legitimate government in Yemen and the glorious position the Arab world is taking against foreign challenges and ambitions.

Sheikh Mohamed further affirmed, 'The UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will never be lacking in advancing and supporting Arab causes and rights, and we will never hesitate to participate in and back any efforts aimed at preserving and safeguarding the Gulf and Arab national security.' 'Current victories in Yemen today are sending a clear and strong message about an Arab world that will never accept to see its land and honour be compromised and exposed and whose loyal people stand as an impregnable fortress to defend its sanctities," he added.

As the two sides discussed a variety of issues including co-ordination and consultation on a number of regional files regarding progress of the Arab Coalition's Operation Restoring Hope in Yemen, HH renewed the UAE's support for Yemen, so as to address and overcome the humanitarian challenges and severe conditions the Yemeni people are enduring now and to help its people rebuild and develop their country.

President Hadi expressed profound gratitude and thanks to the UAE for its pivotal role in the Arab Coalition to restore hope in Yemen. He paid glowing tributes to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the UAE's unflinching support for Yemen, its commitment to the efforts aimed at preserving security and stability in Yemen and enabling its legitimate government, and defending Arab causes and dignity. He also hailed the active role of the UAE in the ongoing relief operations to assist affected people and in implementing development projects as well as programmes to rehabilitate the health, educational and social utilities, and public services.

President Hadi also expressed his heartfelt condolences to Sheikh Mohamed on the UAE martyrs who sacrificed their lives in defence of the right and support of people in Yemen as part of the Arab Coalition.

'The blend of Emirati blood with that of Yemeni one on Yemeni soil delivers a great lesson of solidarity and co-operation among fellow people and exemplifies the common Arab destiny. These sacrifices from the UAE people will remain engraved in the hearts of the Yemeni people and the role the UAE is playing in this phase will be remembered throughout history,' he said.

Present at the meeting were Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court, Lt. General Juma Ahmed Al Bawardi, Military Advisor to the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Salem Khalifa Al Ghafli, UAE Ambassador to Yemen.

From the Yemeni side, it was attended by Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin along with a number of officials.