Trilateral agreement signed for training of Iraqi military in UAE

The agreement was signed at the Armed Forces Officers’ Club in the capital, by Brig-Gen. Mohammad Ali Al Jabri of the UAE Armed Forces, Maj-Gen. Qassim Hussain Al Ali of Iraqi Ministry of Defence, and Col. Ingbert I. Herzog of the German Ministry of Defence.

Dr Franz Josef Jung, German Minister for Defence, who began a two-day visit to the UAE yesterday, was present at the signing ceremony.

Following several training courses of Iraqi policemen in 2003 and 2004 in the UAE by German police and the two extensive training courses of Iraqi soldiers in the UAE by the German military in transportation and engineering in 2005, the new agreement was concluded to train the Iraqi Armed Forces in logistics and medical supply which is scheduled to take place in the beginning of 2008.

The German minister is on a visit to the UAE with a high-ranking delegation, including several members of the Defence Committee of the German Parliament (Bundestag) and the Chief of Staff of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), General Wolfgang Schneiderhahn.

Meanwhile, the Committee for Economy and Technology of the German Parliament, led by former federal minister for education and research, Dr Edelgard Bulmahn, also began a three-day visit to the UAE yesterday.

One of the major objectives of the visit is to enhance the relations between the FNC and the German Bundestag.

The German delegation, which consists of members of all political parties represented in the German Bundestag, will have several high-ranking meetings during their stay in the country with a strong focus on economy and development.

Later in the evening, German Defence Minister Dr Jung and UAE’s Minister of Environment and Water Dr Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi were the guests of honour at the celebration of the Day of German Unity hosted by the German Ambassador to the UAE, Klaus Peter Brandes, at the club.

The occasion highlighted the significance of climate change and renewable energies. “Scientific evidence leaves no doubt about the increasing man-made impact on the global climate,” Brandes said, adding, “It is equally true that answers to this challenge have to be found by close international cooperation. No country can tackle it alone.”

Last night’s reception included an exhibition on renewable energy technology from Germany. It provided latest information on solar, wind, water and geothermal energies. It also highlighted the the first-ever UAE-German “solar-roof project”.