ABU DHABI: President Asif Ali Zardari and UAE’s Prime Minister Shaikh Muhammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum met here Monday and reaffirmed resolve to further consolidate their deep-rooted brotherly relationship for the mutual interest of their people. Sheikh Mohammad who is also vice President of UAE and ruler of Dubai expressed his warm greetings to President Zardari and hoped that his frequent interaction with the UAE’s leadership will go a long way in boosting their bilateral ties and promoting greater understanding on regional and international issues.President Zardari during the meeting thanked the UAE government for their generous assistance during the recent devastating floods. He said, his country is thankful to UAE rulers and people of Emirates on their generous assistance for early rehabilitation of IDPs in Swat and Malakand.
He underlined the need that Abu Dhabi Fund should provide the pledged $ 270 million for the Citizen Damage Compensation Programme.The President emphasized upon further enhancing of bilateral relations and extending mutual cooperation in the realm of trade, education, labour and manpower.The President also congratulated the UAE’s leader on holding the World Future Energy Summit. He hoped that it will help in providing sustainable solutions for energy security and to meet challenges of climate change.The two sides agreed on the need to expand, strengthen and take their bilateral cooperation in diverse fields to the level reflective of their warm, deep-rooted and historic ties that date back to the formation of UAE in 1971.President Zardari and the UAE vice President also discussed peace and security situation in the region. They stressed the need for joint efforts to improve the situation, which was imperative for progress and development in the region as well as in the world. President Zardari pointed the need for increased coordination in this regard.The two leaders recalled the historic, brotherly and warm relations between Pakistan and UAE at the people to people and leadership level, which were founded by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and were nurtured by successive governments particularly by the government of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto – APP
