Today, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan held bilateral discussions with Minister for Foreign Affairs George W. Vella. Minister Al Nahyan expressed his satisfaction at being in Malta and conveyed the UAE's interest in taking relations to a further level of cooperation, adding that there are common grounds and goals between the two countries which have resulted in great potential.

Issues concerning stability and security were discussed at length between the two ministers, with exchanges focusing mainly on crisis zones such as Libya, Yemen and the Middle East. The EU's developing relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States, both of which the UAE is an active member of, were also touched upon. Bilateral cooperation, including pending bilateral agreements together with prospects for the intensification of commercial exchanges also featured on the agenda.

Minister Vella welcomed Minister Al Nahyan's visit as another milestone in the excellent relations between the two countries and recalled his visit to the UAE in May 2014. 'Apart from its strategic political role in its immediate neighbourhood, the UAE has a very important contribution to pay to international stability', Minister Vella stated. Malta will be investing considerable energy in reinforcing Europe's dialogue with its partners in the Gulf and other partners in the Southern Mediterranean during its EU Presidency term next year.

This initiative, Minister Vella pointed out, will be a culmination of a cardinal driving force behind Malta's foreign policy advocating dialogue as the only viable means of durably resolving crises and dispelling prejudice.