Khalifa holds wide-ranging talks with Wulff
President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks on Monday with German President Christian Wulff, who is currently in the UAE as part of a tour of a number of countries in the region.
At the meeting, which was held at the Dhiyafa Palace in Abu Dhabi, the President welcomed Wulff and the delegation accompanying him and expressed the wish that the visit will contribute towards bolstering relations of friendship and mutual cooperation between the two countries and will open wider horizons for cooperation in the avenues of economy and investment, thus serving the interests of the peoples in both countries.
The talks dealt with ways of developing cooperation between the two countries in various sectors taking advantage of the available possibilities to develop current cooperation.
They also exchanged views on a number of issues of common concern.
Sheikh Khalifa stressed UAE's keenness to strengthen the bonds of relations with Germany, and emphasised the importance of benefiting from Germany's experiences of successful development and transfer of economic knowledge it has earned, particularly in the areas of technology and industry, through joint investment projects between the two sides.
Wulff expressed his happiness over the opportunity to visit the UAE and meet with President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He noted the achievements the UAE has made in various fields and specially alluded to the economic and civilisational development of the UAE as well as the prominent place it occupies on the regional and international levels thanks to the wise leadership of His Highness the President.
Wulff said that his visit to the UAE will encourage his country to find more opportunities for cooperation and partnership with the UAE, which is visible from the potentials and rapid achievements at various levels.
The President hosted a luncheon banquet in honour of the President of Germany and the delegation accompanying him, and was attended by sheikhs, ministers and senior military and civilian officials in the UAE.
Wulff expressed his thanks and appreciation to the President and the officials in the UAE for the warm and generous hospitality.
Guard of Honour
Earlier, upon arrival, the German President, accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was accorded an official reception ceremony where the national anthems of the two countries were played. Later President Wulff inspected the a guard of honour in the yard of the Palace.
The German President then was welcomed by Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President's Representative, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of Federal National Council, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative in the Eastern Region, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, Sheikh Eisa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court, Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Etihad Airways, Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President's Representative Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member, Dr. Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), Ahmed Juma Al Za'abi, Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs, Mohammed Ahmed Al Mahmoud, Ambassador of the UAE to Germany, ministers and other senior officials.
Later, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan shook hands with members of the delegation accompanying the German president. These include Jochen Homann of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Dr Clemens von Goetze, Director-General for Foreign Affairs at the Office of the Federal President, Dagmar Freitag, Chair of the Parliament's Sports Committee, Herbert Frankenhauser, Deputy Chairman of the Budget Committee, Michael Glos and Gunter Gloser, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Michael Hennrich, member of the Health Committee and Ambassador of Germany to the UAE Nikolai von Schoepff.
An honorary mission headed by UAE's Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi is accompanying the visiting German President.
UAE President receives Saudi King's invitation to 32nd GCC Summit
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday received an invitation to the 32nd GCC Supreme Council Summit from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.
The invitation was delivered to Sheikh Khalifa by Al Diyafa Palace by visiting Saudi Minister of State and Cabinet Member Saudi Minister of State Mutalib bin Abdullah Al Nafisa.
The summit is scheduled between December 19-20 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
His Highness Sheikh Khalifa expressed best wishes of success for the forthcoming GCC summit on the way to realizing the aspirations and hopes of peoples of the Gulf countries and to contributing to boosting the march of GCC joint action in various spheres.
His Highness also asked the visiting minister to convey greetings and best wishes of good health to Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
In attendance at the meeting was Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President's Representative.
Also in attendance were Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative in the Eastern Region, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, Sheikh Isa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court, Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Etihad Airways, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member, Dr. Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works, Dr. Hadef Jou'an Al Dhahiri, Minister of Justice, Ahmed Juma Al Za'abi, Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs and Ibrahim Bin Saad Ibrahim, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to UAE.
German President visits Zayed University
German President Christian Wulff and the accompanying delegation paid a visit to the Zayed University in Abu Dhabi.
The President was accompanied during the visit by Sheikha Lubna, Mohammed Ahmed Al Mahmoud, UAE Ambassador in Bonn and Nikolai von Schepff German Ambassador to UAE.
Upon arrival at the Zayed University's new campus in Khalifa City, the German President was received by Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim, Vice-President of the Zayed University, a number of senior officials, teaching and administrative staff and students.
While meeting with a group of students, Wulff expressed surprise and admiration at the substantial progress achieved by the UAE in various fields within the span of 40 years.
He said that the UAE has become a privileged partner of Germany, as the size of economic ties, trade relations and cultural exchange are increasing day by day between the two countries.