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UAE won't take sides in 'great power' standoff: Senior official

He explained that the country welcomes collaboration with world powers other than the US, in the interest of regional security and stability

Published: Mon 14 Nov 2022, 4:23 PM

Updated: Mon 14 Nov 2022, 4:26 PM

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  • AFP

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The United Arab Emirates has no interest in "choosing sides" between global powers, despite its strategic partnership with the United States, a senior Emirati diplomat said on Monday.

The comments by Anwar Gargash, a senior advisor to the UAE's president, come as Washington is at odds with Russia over the situation of Ukraine, and with Saudi Arabia over OPEC+ cuts in oil production.

"The UAE has no interest in choosing sides between great powers," Gargash told experts and analysts at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate conference, without naming any countries.

"We will not under any circumstances sacrifice our sovereignty."

Gargash said the UAE, a regional powerhouse, welcomes "constructive and collaborative engagement" with world powers other than the US to promote security and stability in the region.

The UAE, is not "dependent on just one or two countries for both our economic prosperity and our security", said Gargash, who formerly served as the minister of state for foreign affairs.

"Trade relations increasingly look to the East while our primary security and investment relations (are) in the West," he added, explaining that the "situation may evolve over time".

The UAE's ambassador to Washington, Yousef al-Otaiba, said he is "proud of the UAE's influence and good standing in the US."

Gargash emphasised that Abu Dhabi's "primary strategic security relationship remains unequivocally with the United States", but called for clearer commitments from American partners.

"It is vital that we find a way to ensure that we can rely on this relationship for decades to come, through clear... commitments," he said.

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