ABU DHABI, 11 September 2007 — UAE President Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed Al-Nahayan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed yesterday bilateral issues and the latest regional and international developments in a meeting held at Al-Mushref Palace in Abu Dhabi.
Putin, accompanied by a high-level delegation of businessmen, including director of arms exporter Rosoboronexport, as well as those of the airline Aeroflot and space agency Roskosmos, arrived in the capital early yesterday.
Putin is the first Russian head of state to visit the UAE since the two countries established diplomatic relations. The Russian leader visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar in February.
Talks between the two men focused on trade relations between the two countries and on prospects for Middle East peace, as well as developments in Iraq and Iran.
During the meeting, Sheikh Khalifa endowed Putin with the Order of Zayed honor in appreciation of the strong friendship between the two countries.
As the two countries are poised to begin a new phase of political and economic cooperation, both have signed a number of agreements ranging from business and trade to space exploration.
Russia and the UAE have signed agreements on fighting crime and air service, and memorandums on understanding on standardization, settlement of the Soviet-era debt to the UAE, banking and technology exchange.
UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Sultan ibn Zayed Al-Nahayan and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Gen. Sheikh Mohammed ibn Zayed Al-Nahayan were present at the meeting.
At noon, Putin visited an exhibition of artifacts from Russian museums and spoke at a meeting of Russia-Arab Business Council at the Emirates Palace Hotel.
“Today we are witnessing the start of a new phase of economic cooperation,” said Mohammed ibn Abdulaziz Alshihhi, undersecretary of planning at the UAE Ministry of Economy.
Meanwhile, Khaldoun Khalifa Al-Mubarak, chief executive and chairman of Mubadala Development, said Putin’s visit to the UAE would immensely boost the level of ties between the two countries to greater heights and would help build better strategic partnership between the UAE and Russia.
In recent years the UAE has become a busy destination for Russian tourists. The emirate has also attracted Russian businessmen, since it offers various tax incentives and tax-free zones.
