Sheikh Mohammed issued a statement to Gulf Defence magazine on the 28th anniversary of the unification of the UAE Armed Forces on May 6th. A translation of the highlights of this statement, which was reprinted in Al Bayan, follows.
Sheikh Mohammed said that the decision to unify the Armed Forces had strengthened the union of the emirates. He also said that every army is guided by timeless concerns such as the preservation of the country's independence, security, sovereignty, stability and achievements. Defence is the basis of any military strategy, so one must expect the worst and always be ready to act, especially in a politically unstable region.
Thanks to President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE has a modern army that can defend the nation. The Emirates are also committed to defending fellow AGCC member countries against outside aggression, as they did during the liberation of Kuwait. Under the joint Arab defence treaty, members of the UAE's forces were sent to Lebanon as part of the Arab peacekeeping force of 1976. The UAE Armed Forces have set up field hospitals in Iraq and have participated in peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, relief efforts in Somalia and demining in South Lebanon.
Sheikh Mohammed said coordination between the AGCC armed forces continues to grow and pointed out that the GCC has achieved more in terms of military cooperation in 23 years than Europe has achieved in 50. The GCC countries have built up their armed forces over the past 25 years despite three regional wars and other challenges.
Sheikh Mohammed believes that the end of the war on Iraq will not affect spending on weapons and he said that he hopes Allah will guide the wise men of Iraq to stability.
He also said that by purchasing weapons from diverse sources one benefits from competitiveness, choice and not to be dependent on a single supplier, but that having a variety of suppliers is not a goal in and of itself.
He mentioned that training is extremely important to the Armed Forces.
He said that the situation in the Middle East is proof that wars lead to bigger battles, hatred, revenge and destruction - wars do not lead to peace.
In Sheikh Mohammed's opinion, the barrier that Israel is building will fall just as the Berlin Wall and the barriers in South Africa fell. If, as claimed, the barrier is necessary for Israel's security, it should be constructed along or on the Israeli side of the 1967 borders.
Sheikh Mohammed attributes the success of the UAE's exhibition industry to the country's policies and to its emphasis on quality and excellence.
