Abu Dhabi, Dec 15th, 2008 : The Emirati-German Friendship Society held its third meeting in Abu Dhabi on Monday under the joint chairmanship of UAE Deputy Prime Minister HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Gerhard Schroder, who is currently on a visit to UAE.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Sultan Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Trade HE Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the National Consultative Council Abdullah Mohammed Al Masaood, UAE ambassador to Germany Mohammed Ahmed Al Mahmoud and German ambassador to UAE Klaus-Peter Brandes.

Opening the meeting Sheikha Hamdan said that the relations between UAE and Germany are based on mutual respect and appreciation and are constantly growing under the wise directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and General HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Sheikh Hamdan expressed satisfaction over the growth of the bilateral relations between the two countries as well as the keenness of the leaders of both the countries to enhance these relations.

At the meeting Sheikh Hamdan and Gerhard Schroder reviewed the avenues of cooperation between UAE and Germany on the governmental and peoples levels.

Sheikh Hamdan said that the times call for strong partnership between UAE and Germany in the best interests of both the countries. He also underlined the need for forging joint policies to face the challenges the future.

Schroder said that UAE and Germany could set up a successful strategic partnership during the past years, as this partnership started to build up from April 2004, when Sheikh Hamdan paid an official visit to Germany. The visit gave an impetus to the economic, cultural, political relations between UAE and Germany and the two governments expressed their determination to push forward the bilateral political and commercial relations, Schroder noted.

'This year's conference takes place amid difficult times. The international economic and financial crisis has made it abundantly clear how closely connected the countries of world are and how dependent we are on each other', Schroder said.

He pointed out a number of common concerns which included,' the establishment of a fair form of globalisation, the safeguarding of energy supplies, the fight against poverty as well as the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction'.

'In the past few years, the nations in the Gulf, above all the United Arab Emirates, have lived up to their international responsibilities. The UAE is an anchor of stability and are becoming the region's most important economic centre', Schroder said.

Schroder said that Germany is impressed with the goal UAE has set for the country that of modernising society while maintaining the cultural identity.

'This was the vision of state's founder the great President late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, with whom I founded the strategic partnership between our two countries', he said.

He lauded Sheikh Hamdan for playing the important role of establishing the Emirati-German Friendship Society.

Later Sheikh Hamdan hosted a banquet dinner in honour of the visiting dignitary and the delegation accompanying him. (WAM/AB )