ABU DHABI — General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, yesterday renewed UAE's denunciation of terrorism, calling for coordination among countries of the region and the world to confront threats posed by it. "Terrorism is a global phenomenon that is not linked to a certain country and its threats are posed at the whole world." Shaikh Mohammed made the remarks while touring the pavilions at the Gulf International Defence Exhibition (Idex-2005). Shaikh Mohammed said that the AGCC countries were coordinating to fight terrorism, following the counter-terrorism accord signed by them.
| I notice that Sheikh Mohammed didn't bother trying to disassociate terrorism from Islam, as is proforma in most of the rest of Arabia. |
Shaikh Mohammed announced that the UAE will take delivery of F-16 aircraft in early May, adding that the UAE pilots have completed training on the aircraft. He said that Idex had had become one of the top events on the international military and defence exhibitions calendar. "Compared with previous editions, Idex current edition registered an unprecedented participation, another feather in its cap,' Shaikh Mohammed added. He said that UAE nationals proved that they were capable of organising major events and that present edition "has succeeded with flying colours". On the UAE's future plans to develop defence industries, he said that the country was heading towards industrial investment that relies on quality rather than quantity.
"The UAE is investing heavily on human resources, to be able to develop scientific and industrial capabilities in a way that will meet its ambitions in different spheres." He also revealed strategic plans to modernise UAE Armed Forces "to enable them play their role of supporting sisterly countries and to deter any threat to national security." According to Shaikh Mohammed, the long-term planning includes upgrading the Armed Forces' land, naval and air defence capabilities, in accordance with the requirements of joint operations and within a limit that maintains a balance between defence requirements and the latest military technology. |