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Paris: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was welcomed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday.
Shaikh Mohammad and Sarkozy inspected a guard of honour at the palace where a warm welcome reception was accorded the visiting dignitary.
Later, they held talks dealing with ways to bolster ties and cooperation between the two countries through exploring new mechanisms that help to augment the relations between the two countries, especially in political, military and economic fields, to the best interests of both nations and their citizens.
Shaikh Mohammad and Sarkozy reaffirmed their support for the deal struck by Lebanese parties in Doha which would achieve civil peace in Lebanon.
They expressed hope that all Lebanese parties would respect the deal in the interests of Lebanon and its people.
They discussed a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest with emphasis on the Middle East to promote justice, freedom and equality among peoples of the region. At a press conference, Shaikh Mohammad said his visit to Paris was the fruit of the historic ties between the UAE and France.
Sarkozy held a lunch banquet in honour of Shaikh Mohammad and his delegation that includes Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade, Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State.
An official at the Elysee Palace praised the distinguished ties between the UAE and France.
Following the meeting between Shaikh Mohammad and Sarkozy, he said this was the first visit by Shaikh Mohammad to Paris and is a political one.
The French president was keen to emphasise the distinguished bilateral relations in all political, economic, cultural and security fields.
The volume of trade between the two countries is evidence of the strong ties as many French companies operate in the UAE, the official said.
Timeline
era of cooperation
--March 9, 2008: The UAE Cabinet approved an agreement with France to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
- January 15, 2008: French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in the UAE for an official state visit. The UAE and France signed two agreements on nuclear and military cooperation and three memorandums of understanding on intellectual property, transport and education.
During his visit to Abu Dhabi, Sarkozy attended a special ceremony to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the Paris-Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi to be located on Reem Island.
- October 28, 2007 General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received French Defence Minister Harvey Moran on his two-day official visit at Al Bateen Palace, where they discussed ways to boost bilateral relations in military and defence and to encourage public and private sectors in the two countries to set up joint enterprises.
- July 19, 2007 President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace. They discussed ways to enhance strong relations between the two countries.The heads of state agreed upon the need to activate a bilateral cooperation agreement on peaceful nuclear usage signed in 1980. Also, Sarkozy expressed France's readiness to assist the UAE in setting up a nuclear power based electricity generation programme.
- January 8, 2007 Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and Tourism Development and Investment Company, signed an agreement with French Culture Minister Christine Albanel for the proposed Louvre Abu Dhabi Universal Museum project.
- July 21, 2006 President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with French President Jacques Chirac on current Middle Eastern events at the Elysee Palace. They called on the international community to make greater efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.
- January 20, 2006 French President Jacques Chirac received General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Elysee Palace. Shaikh Mohammad held talks to bolster economic cooperation
- December 8, 1999 The UAE and France signed agreements relating to provisions of granting multiple entry visas for nationals of the UAE and France with a minimum validity of one year and a maximum of five years.
- July 9, 1999 General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited UAE troops undergoing training in southern France in preparation to take part in the international peace-keeping forces in Kosovo under French command.
- January 18, 1995 On behalf of the UAE Government, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French Defence Minister Francois Leotard signed a defence agreement, which reflects the existing relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
- September 9, 1991 President His Highness Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan held talks with French President Francois Mitterrand in a historic visit to France. The UAE and France signed three agreements to bolster cooperation between the two countries.
- October 16, 1980 As a results of the talks between President His Highness Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and French President Valery Giscard D Estaing, the UAE agreed to supply France with an additional 50,000 barrels of oil a day.
- March 5, 1980 French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing arrived on his first state visit to the UAE. Several agreements were signed in the fields of oil and petroleum industry, nuclear power, agriculture and medicine.
--1977 UAE and France signed military and technical cooperation agreements.
- Compiled by Gulf News Archive
Shaikh Mohammad said that his visit to Paris was the fruit of the historic ties between the UAE and France.
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