Diplomatic Briefing
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Newsline: Pakistan’s embassy in Abu Dhabi confirms that former president died on Sunday
Pakistani former President Pervez Musharraf died on Sunday following a prolonged illness at a hospital in Dubai, after years in self-imposed exile. “I can confirm that he passed away this morning,” Shazia Siraj, spokesperson for Pakistan’s embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai, told Reuters. (https://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-former-president-pervez-musharraf-061451098.html) Pakistan’s military and the country’s mission in the United Arab Emirates announced the death of the former army chief, 79, who was pushed from power in 2008. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Arif Alvi and the chiefs of Pakistan’s army, navy and air force each expressed condolences on his death. A special flight will be made to Dubai on Monday to bring Musharraf’s body back to Pakistan for burial, local TV channel Geo News reported.
Newsline: UAE extends visa ban on Pakistan
In what comes as another embarrassment for Pakistan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), where a large number of Pakistanis migrate for work opportunities, has now extended an existing travel ban to 24 cities of Pakistan. The visa ban was earlier on 22 cities, and it has now been increased to 24, East Coast Daily reported. The UAE government had to resort to this action in order to curb the menace of begging on the streets of UAE. (https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/uae-extends-visa-ban-on-pakistan-embarrassed-pakistan-says-no-visa-ban-in-place/) It was noted that a large number of migrants from these Pakistani cities, who visit the UAE for work, ultimately end up begging on the streets when they fail to find employment. This increases the workload of the UAE administration, as begging is a crime in Dubai and the people are strictly ordered to not entertain beggars. Most of the migrant workers from Pakistan are deceived by agents who send them to UAE on a visit visa, while telling them that they were being sent on a work visa.
Newsline: UAE urges diplomacy to end Russia-Ukraine crisis
Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Political Affairs, in a statement has said “since the beginning of the crisis, the UAE has called for de-escalation and dialogue, and has supported all diplomatic initiatives in this regard.” “The UAE firmly believes that diplomacy remains the only viable way to end the crisis, and shares the international community’s deep concerns about the repercussions of the current situation on civilians in and out of Ukraine, and regional and international peace, security and stability,” the statement said further. (https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2022/11/24/diplomacy-only-way-out-of-russia-ukraine-crisis-says-uae) In times of conflict, our collective responsibility is to leave no stone unturned towards identifying and pursuing paths that bring about a peaceful and swift resolution of crises. As such, the UAE remains firmly committed to help keep channels of communication open, encourage dialogue, support diplomacy, leveraging all the tools at our disposal to alleviate suffering and find a peaceful and sustainable solution that enhances international peace and security and ends the humanitarian impact on civilians.
Newsline: UAE summons Dutch ambassador to support Jordan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) has summoned the Ambassador of Netherlands to the United Arab Emirates to inform him of the UAE’s strong protest and denunciation of the interference of his country’s ambassador to Jordan in Kingdom’s internal affairs. (https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-summons-dutch-ambassador-to-protest-about-interference-in-jordans-internal-affairs) The Ministry affirmed the UAE’s solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and expressed its strong protest against the irresponsible statement breaching diplomatic norms that was made by the Dutch ambassador on October 19, 2022. The Ministry noted the statement is considered a blatant interference in the internal affairs of Jordan.
Newsline: UAE Ambassador to Iran to Resume Duties in Coming Days
The United Arab Emirates ambassador to Iran, Saif Mohammed Al Zaabi, will resume his duties at the embassy in Tehran in the coming days, the UAE’s foreign ministry said on Sunday. (https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-08-21/uae-ambassador-to-iran-to-resume-duties-in-coming-days-foreign-ministry) The decision came “in line with UAE efforts to strengthen relations with Iran and as part of a previous decision to increase diplomatic representation to the rank of ambassador”, the ministry said.
Newsline: UAE summons Iranian diplomat
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi in response to a speech by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani over its agreement to normalise ties with Israel, according to state media. (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/uae-summons-iranian-diplomat-unacceptable-rouhani-speech-200816141002205.html) Rouhani said in a speech on Saturday the UAE had made a “huge mistake” in reaching a deal to establish diplomatic relations with Israel and called it a betrayal by the Gulf state. “They [the UAE] better be mindful. They have committed a huge mistake, a treacherous act,” Rouhani said of the agreement announced on Thursday. Emirati state news agency WAM reported on Sunday that the UAE’s foreign ministry summoned the charge d’affaires and gave him a “strongly worded memo”. The UAE foreign ministry said the speech was “unacceptable and inflammatory and had serious implications for security and stability in the Gulf region”.
Newsline: UAE embassy condemns misuse of diplomatic channels to smuggle gold to India
The UAE has condemned the misuse of diplomatic channels to smuggle gold to India and denied having any role after customs authorities in Kerala on Sunday seized 30kg of the precious metal that was marked to the UAE consulate in the south Indian state. Indian media reported on Sunday that customs officials at the Thiruvanathapuram international airport had foiled a gold smuggling attempt after they seized a parcel that was sent as air cargo from Dubai to the UAE consulate. “The Embassy of the UAE in India condemns the attempted misuse of diplomatic channels by an individual engaged in smuggling activity. The embassy firmly rejects such acts and unequivocally affirms that the mission and its diplomatic staff had no role in this matter,” the mission said in a statement. (https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/general/uae-embassy-condemns-misuse-of-diplomatic-channels-to-smuggle-gold-to-india-) Diplomatic packages are swiftly cleared at airports. But customs officials got suspicious and checked the packet. The officials are investigating the case. “Initial inquiries conducted by the mission revealed that a former locally hired employee of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram was responsible for this act. The employee in question was fired for misconduct long preceding this incident,” read the embassy statement. The mission said the employee in question must have exploited his knowledge of the mission’s channels to commit the crime.
Newsline: Pakistan Embassy in UAE warns community against agents selling ‘special flights’ ticket
The Pakistan Embassy has warned community members of a ticket scam as some unscrouplous travel agents are offering to book tickets on ‘special flights’ from the UAE to Pakistan. “Flights between the UAE and Pakistan are suspended and there is no announcement of any special flights from UAE to Pakistan so far,” said a statement issued by the Embassy. The statement says that the embassy would announce if there is any plan to operate any special flights. There will also be a formal announcement whenever the normal flight operation between the UAE and Pakistan resumes. “This is to inform Pakistani community members in the UAE that some agents are offering tickets for ‘special flights’ from the UAE to Pakistan. Beware of such people and instead contact the respective airlines to confirm the flights before purchasing any tickets,” the embassy statement further read. (https://gulfnews.com/uae/beware-pakistan-embassy-in-uae-warns-community-against-agents-selling-special-flights-ticket-1.70850628) The Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai also warned the community on its twitter handle. “Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai has not announced any special flight to Pakistan of any airline yet. The consulate will not be responsible for any such ticket purchases,” the Consulate tweeted both in Urdu and English.
Newsline: Morocco withdraws ambassador from UAE
Rabat has withdrawn its ambassador and consulates in the UAE, due to the Emirati authorities’ reluctance for a whole year to appoint an ambassador in Rabat to fill the vacancy. Local websites, including Maghreb Intelligence and Rue20, said that “an unprecedented diplomatic crisis has erupted between Morocco and the UAE, as Morocco has withdrawn, since last week, its ambassador to Abu Dhabi, Mohamed Ait Ali, who has been in office for more than nine years. Thus, the Moroccan consulates in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were also summoned. ” According to the same sources, “Rabat has also emptied its embassy (in Abu Dhabi) by summoning all the consultants and Chargé d’Affaires, which greatly reduced its diplomatic representation in the UAE.” (https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200312-morocco-withdraws-ambassador-from-abu-dhabi/) Media reports attributed the reason for this development, quoting an unnamed Moroccan official, to the position of the UAE’s failure to appoint an ambassador to Morocco for about a year.
Newsline: Slovenia Opens Embassy in Abu Dhabi
Foreign Minister Miro Cerar met Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash on day two of his working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), discussing with him further cooperation and the situations in the Middle East and Western Balkans, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release. In the afternoon, Cerar officially inaugurated in Abu Dhabi Slovenia’s first embassy in a Gulf country, which has been operating since 2018. Cerar said in his address that the embassy was an “important step forward in deepening Slovenian relations with the UAE and the region” (https://www.total-slovenia-news.com/politics/4865-slovenia-opens-embassy-in-abu-dhabi-first-in-gulf). A similar a sentiment was expressed by Gargash in their meeting earlier in the day.
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