UAE: trade negotiations with America do not obligate us to change our foreign policy
United Arab Emirates-USA, Politics, 3/8/2005

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) minister of state for finance and industry Muhammad Khalfan Bin Kharbash said on Monday that his country's joining negotiations with the USA to signs a free trade agreement does not oblige it "to change its foreign political positions" in remarks to information on American conditions to link proceeding in the negotiations to Abu Dhabi halting its boycott of Israel.

The UAE news agency quoted Bin Kharbash as saying that the chairman of the negotiations council with the US to sign a free trade agreement as saying that "joining these negotiations does not make it obligatory for the UAE to change its political stances with foreign relations." Bin Kharbash added "there are no political conditions in this agreement." He stressed "the aim of joining free trade negotiations with the USA is to develop and grow the national economy of the United Arab Emirates in order to enhance its regional role as a key economic force in the region."

One UAE figure said that "during the process of the negotiations, Washington will ask the UAE to stop boycotting Israel," ruling out any possibility to that the UAE negotiators will accept such conditions.

Bin Kharbash explained that the first round of negotiations which will start today in Abu Dhabi "will concentrate on exploring opportunities of cooperation and deepening economic and trade relations" between the UAE and the USA. He noted that "most of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states are inclined to sign free trade agreements with the USA," expressing his hope "that the GCC member states would conclude coordinated agreements with Washington."

Bahrain's signing in September 2004 a free trade agreement with Washington raised a vast controversy in the recent GCC summit held in Manama in December 2004 because of Saudi Arabian opposition to such agreements.

Previous Stories:
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