UAE Crown Prince Meets Sarkozy

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UAE Crown Prince Meets Sarkozy

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:13

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed bilateral relations and Middle East regional affairs with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Regional issues discussed between both officials include the two countries' partaking in the NATO-led operations against the Libyan regime headed by Muammer Qadhafi, aimed at protecting civilians, as well as the Middle East issue and the Arab Spring Uprisings.

Sheikh Mohammad had earlier today met Prime Minister Francois Fillon.

French-Emirati relations are particularly healthy, with UAE's imports of French goods substituting around 25 percent of the European country's exports to the Middle East, and 33.5 percent of its exports to Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Trade between both countries amounts to around 4.4 billion euros, with 300 French companies operating in the UAE, employing 15,000 French nationals.

The countries are linked by a number of political and economic treaties and agreements including ones in diplomatic and consulate representation, anti-double taxation, the protection of investment and cooperation in nuclear energy.

The UAE has also been hosting a French military base since 2008 and a Louvre Museum branch that is due to open in 2012.

President Sarkozy last made a visit to the UAE in May 2009, while the UAE's President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed's last visit to France was back in 2007.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

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