By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The security and stability that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoys is the outcome of the country’s keenness to provide everyone here with an opportunity to live and earn with honour and dignity, according to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Shiekh Khalifa’s comments come in the wake of recent terror alerts issued by the British and US missions in this country.
In an interview with Lebanese daily Al-Nahar, the president said that alerts
‘ issued by certain foreign diplomatic missions in the country, warning their people living in the UAE, were nothing more than the conventional practices those missions usually adopt to handle rumours or information, regardless of their validity, state-run WAM news agency reported.
“The UAE respects the right of all countries to adopt measures they deem fit to protect their people,” he was quoted as saying.
Security and stability were the prime factors, which attract investors to a country, he added.
Over the possibility of Iran’s resorting to the UAE’s banking channels in case of tightening global sanctions on it, Sheikh Khalifa said: “This is a presumptive question. The UAE will comply with international legitimacy in such cases.”
He reiterated that there was no need to set up new funding bodies to support Arab countries, adding that there were a number of national and regional funds in this respect.
Pointing out that the private sector executes multi-billion-dollar projects in many Arab countries, he said: “Whenever there is proper political, legislative and administrative atmosphere, the private sector initiatives would increase.”
He also denied existence of a policy to alienate Arab labour and preference of foreign labour, saying the “market at a certain developmental point preferred the foreign labour due to less cost with alternatives”.
The UAE was reviewing the equation through regulation of living conditions in line with the international specifications when it comes to dealing with the foreign workforce, he said, adding that foreign labour will not be the same cheap labour accustomed to at the market.
Sheikh Khalifa also hailed the agreement reached by all Lebanese factions in Doha, and lauded the role played by the Emir of Qatar in bringing about the pact.
At the same time, he expressed concern over the delay in implementing the remaining articles of the agreement.
“Any solution for the political crisis in Lebanon should be based on the principle of equality and co-existence, and no party should attempt to reap political gains at the cost of the others,” he said.
On restoration of the UAE’s diplomatic ties with Iraq, Sheikh Khalifa said the UAE-Iraq relations continued unabated despite absence of diplomats due to security conditions, but reiterated that the UAE was keen to see Iraq regain its role and boost its contacts with the Arab world.
UAE had recently announced it would reopen its embassy in Iraq. This would make it the first Arab country to restore diplomatic ties with Iraq.