U.S., U.A.E. call for end to Syrian violence

Posted on Jun 28, 2012 in Top News | 0 comments

U.S. President Barack Obama and the United Arab Emirates crown prince Wednesday jointly called for an end to the violence in Syria.

In a joint statement issued by the White House following their meeting in Washington, Obama and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nuhayan said there is an “urgent need” to implement the peace plan put forth by special U.N. envoy Kofi Annan to prevent further bloodshed in Syria. They offered “support for a transition plan that would meet the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people,” their statement said.

Noting the political transformations taking place in many Middle Eastern nations, the two leaders called on governments and citizens “to avoid violence, advance tolerance and protect human rights — particularly the rights of women.”

Governmental reforms, they said, should “support accountable governance, increase civic participation and promote economic opportunities, especially for young people.”

Obama and Mohammed said their two countries “remain deeply committed to close consultation and cooperation to promote peace and stability in the [Persian] Gulf region and broader Middle East.”

The two leaders discussed a range of issues, including Iran, terrorism and energy security.

They called upon Iran “to meet its international obligations under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and relevant United Nations Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors resolutions.” The statement also expressed the United States’ support of the United Arab Emirates in its dispute with Iran over the sovereignty of three gulf islands.

The United States wants to see the matter resolved through direct negotiations, the International Court of Justice “or another appropriate international forum,” the statement said.

The two countries also pledged to sustain their joint counter-terrorism and security initiatives in the region and noted the new Center for Countering Violent Extremism will start up in Abu Dhabi in October.

The crown prince and president discussed the importance of protecting critical shipping lanes against threats of aggression, terrorism and piracy, and the prince outlined his country’s ongoing initiatives to reduce oil price volatility and ensure reliable supplies to world markets at prices that support global economic growth.

Copyright 2012 by United Press International