Tripoli, 18 April 2012:
A major ministerial delegation led by Prime Minister Abdurrahim Al-Kib has been in the UAE, partly to thank . . .[restrict]the Emirates for its support during last year’s revolution but also in pursuit of stronger political and business ties.
Al-Kib and the accompanying delegation were met by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Sunday.
The Libyan delegation included Foreign Minister Ashour Ben Khayal, Interior Minister Fawzi Abdelal, Economy Minister Taher Sarkaz, Finance Minister Hasan Zaglam, Electricity Minister Ibrahim Awad Abraek Barasi, Labour Minister Mustafa Rujbani, Communications Minister Anwar Al Fitouri, as well as the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces Yousef Mangoush and Dr Aref Ali Nayed, Libyan Ambassador to the UAE.
In their meeting, attended also by UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash and Lieutenant-General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al-Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the UAE’s Armed Forces, the two sides discussed the current situation of Libya and ways to support its development and prosperity. They looked in particular at security and safety issues. They also discussed the latest regional developments.
Expressing optimism about the future of Libya and its ability to build a modern state giving security and prosperity to its citizens, Sheikh Mohammed said that UAE support for Libya’s revolution last year came with no strings attached.
For his part, Prime Minister Al-Kib expressed, thanked the UAE for the support it has given, making special mention of the medical and other aid airlifted in.
On Monday, in talks with the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Ben Khayal said that Libya needed the UAE’s experience in training. “We welcome investment from UAE and cooperation between private sectors in both countries” he added.
The two also discussed the issue of Iran’s occupation of the islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunb and the seriousness of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Abu Musa last week which the Gulf Cooperation Council have condemned as a “provocation”. Bin Khayal was quoted in the local press asserting Libya’s full support for UAE’s rights to the islands.
On Tuesday, Interior Minister Abdelal held talks with his opposite UAE number, Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is also the UAE’s deputy prime minister. Included in their talks were head of the Abu Dhabi police, Brigadier Ali Khalfan Al Dhahiri and members of Libyan delegation.
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