By IPS Correspondents
TEHRAN, May 29 2003 (IPS)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) believes at all times the necessity of adopting dialogue and negotiations as an ideal solution to peacefully resolve disputes between countries, said Saif Saeed bin Sa’ed, Foreign Ministry Under Secretary and head of the UAE delegation to the 30th meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

In a speech he delivered today before the conference being held in Tehran, Bin Sa’ed said, – We hope that the visit made by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, to Iran in response to the visit conducted by Mohamed Ali Abthi, Iranian Vice President for Legal and Parliamentarian Affairs, to the UAE, would be a significant political step in enhancing cooperation between the two countries in various aspects, including finding a peaceful resolve on the dispute over the three UAE islands, Abu Moussa, Greater and Lesser Tunb through direct negotiations or through the International Court of Justice on the basis of OIC convention and principles of international law."

Bin Sa’ed added that ôWe are looking forward to the expected visit by Iranian President Mohammed Khatami to the UAE, which hopefully would result in boosting bilateral cooperation and strengthening bonds of good-neighbor policy for the sake of consolidating pillars of peace and stability in the region."

In his speech, Bin Sa’ed noted the recent events in the region in the light of latest developments in Iraq and Palestine and their political, economic, social and security repercussions in the region and the world.

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