Cameron visits UAE to discuss security

British Prime Minister David Cameron held talks with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum yesterday as he kicked of a three-day Gulf visit aimed at enhancing ties and selling jets, reports said. According to the official WAM news agency, Cameron and Sheikh Mohammed discussed “ways to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation between the two friendly countries” as well as the regional political and security situation. The crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, also attended the Dubai meeting. Cameron’s office had earlier said the talks with Sheikh Mohammed would also address collaboration over next-generation aerospace equipment. Cameron arrived early yesterday and breakfasted with British troops based in the Gulf state soon after his arrival, the British Embassy in the UAE said on its Twitter account. He later took a ride on the Dubai Metro and tweeted: “British engineering helped build it with contracts worth over £600 million.” Cameron told the BBC that his visit was not only focused on trade and investment. “We’re also partners in defense and security. We worked together in Libya, we worked together in Afghanistan and we’ll be discussing all the key regional and global issues,” he told the broadcaster. Cameron later traveled to the capital Abu Dhabi for a meeting with university students. According to a statement by Cameron’s office, the prime minister was to accompany senior Emirati officials on an inspection of RAF Typhoons stationed at a UAE airbase as part of a training exercise.