Mohammed, Joe Biden hold talks

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, received US Vice President Joe Biden and the accompanying delegation at Zabeel Palace this morning.

Sheikh Mohammed and Biden held long talks on friendship and existing cooperation between the UAE and the United States of America. They also exchanged views on political, security and development issues, focusing on the Syrian and Iraqi crises and terrorism.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed welcomed United States Vice President Joe Biden's visit to the UAE, describing it as a successful visit by a key US official which reflects the strong co-operation and friendly ties between the two friendly countries and peoples at various levels.

During the meeting, Sheikh Mohammed and Biden exchanged views on the challenges that faced the country in the development process.

Sheikh Mohammed said, ''We achieved the aspirations of our people and the vision of the leadership which aimed to achieve sustainable development and enhance tolerance and values of harmony in our culturally diversified society.''

He also pointed to the utmost attention given by the wise leadership and the UAE government to the tourism sector in the country. Although the UAE is an oil-producing country, tourism has become a window for cultural rapprochement between the country and the people, and the countries and peoples of the world he said, and added that the tourism industry has become a vital source of national economy.

Sheikh Mohammed also spoke about the country's approach to the implementation of alternative energy and serious projects aimed at transferring to solar energy, as a major source of clean energy.

He also said, "This is one of the big challenges that we seek to overcome with great success to protect the local environment and support our national economy and thus, encourage other countries to adopt renewable source to generate electric power."

Sheikh Mohammed praised the role played by the US Vice President and his efforts to develop friendly ties and co-operation between his country and the UAE in various fields, especially his humanitarian role in addressing the cancer disease inside and outside the UAE.

The UAE Vice President extended an invitation to Biden regarding the US participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai. Biden accepted the invitation and congratulated Sheikh Mohammed on winning the bid to host the international event.

Sheikh Mohammed also reiterated that factors of success of this international tourist, cultural, and trade event in the UAE are available and in line with the latest international standards, highlighting the sophisticated and world-class infrastructure in the country, especially transportation, telecommunications and maritime and air transport fields, in addition to the facilitations provided by the government and the competent authorities for the participant countries and departments in the exhibition.

Biden praised the balanced and wise policy of the UAE leadership in all avenues, particularly all the UAE's regional and global relations, for which it received high appreciation and attracted the attention and respect of his country and the countries of the region and the world.

Among those who attended the meeting were Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and head of the honorary mission accompanying the US Vice President, Mohammed Ibrahim AI Shaibani, Director-General of His Highness the Ruler's Court, Government of Dubai, Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai, Yousef Al Otaiba, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the United States of America, and US Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Barbara Leaf.

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