UAE reopens diplomatic mission in Baghdad
United Arab Emirates-Iraq, Politics, 4/21/2000

The United Arab Emirates on Thursday opened its diplomatic mission in the Iraqi capital after it had been closed since the Gulf crisis in 1990. Thereby the UAE became the fourth Gulf state to return its diplomats to Iraq.

The UAE diplomatic mission takes al-Rashid hotel as its temporary premises until a permanent headquarters is chosen.

The celebration to hoist the flag of the UAE was held at the entrance of the hotel.

An Arab diplomat who asked not to be identified said that the UAE mission is composed of four persons, including two diplomats and two administrators who arrived on Wednesday in Baghdad.

The ceremony for that purpose was held at the presence of the UAE diplomat Sheikh Ahmad Bin Abdullah who hoisted his country's flag and the Iraqi foreign ministry secretary Nabil Najm. However, the UAE following Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain has become the fourth Gulf states which has a diplomatic representation in Iraq.

In a statement to reporters Bin Abdullah asserted that reopening the embassy is a revitalization of cooperation between the two countries and comes "to help charity societies extend a helping hand to the Iraqi people and to facilitate our mission in the brotherly Iraq."

He continued, "Our role will be offering the aid and facilitate the mission of the UAE travel, traders or tourists, between the UAE and Iraq and the Iraqis to the UAE, and Iraqi traders as well."

For his part Najm stated that, "The existence of the two diplomatic missions (in Iraq and the UAE) would eventually contribute to discussing fields of strengthening economic, cultural and social relations."

Despite the freezing of relations, the UAE is considered one of Iraq's main suppliers of humanitarian aid. The value of economic exchange between the two countries was recently estimated at US $400 million.

Previous Stories:
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  UAE company takes part in Baghdad International Conference   (8/18/1999)
  $55 million in exports from United Arab Emirates to Iraq   (8/10/1999)

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