UAE foreign ministry clarifies Qatar news report

Maryam Al Falasi, Director of Media Department of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has made a statement on a news story transmitted by Qatar News Agency (QNA) on Monday night about an audience between Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah and the acting UAE Charge d'Affaires in Doha on Monday.

Al Falasi said the UAE Embassy in Qatar had requested on January 5, 2014 the delivery of a message dated December 12, 2013 from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, dealing with the UAE's winning of the bid to host World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

She added that the message was a courtesy the UAE sent to sisterly and friendly countries after Dubai won of the Expo bid.

She also clarified that both the note and meeting had nothing to do with the recent developments which led Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain to withdraw their ambassadors from Doha.