An English-language daily today commented editorially on the recent visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to Russia, where he held talks with Russian President, Vladimir Putin, saying that, "the discussions held between His Highness Sheikh Mohamed and President Putin have not only bolstered the already-strong UAE-Russian relations, but also sent a stern message that terrorism will be fought together by all peace-loving nations of the world." The paper said that at a time when the activities of Daesh and other terrorist organisations pose serious challenges to peace and security in the Middle East and the entire world, the UAE and Russia are rightly enhancing their efforts to fight terrorism, not only in the framework of their bilateral relations, but also in international circles. "Global concern about the plight of Syrian refugees has been increasing. UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has indicated that the number of Syrian refugees now stands at 4,013,000, with another 7.6 million displaced inside the country. This is the biggest refugee population from a single conflict in a generation," the editorial said, continuing, "It is good that Sheikh Mohamed and Putin also reviewed the efforts being exerted to settle the Syrian conflict and to come up with a solution that ends the suffering of the Syrians in line with their aspirations to ensure the security and stability of the country and the region as well." UAE-Russian trade relations have remained robust, and last year both countries agreed to increase trade exchange by 133 percent from US$3 billion to $7 billion. According to available figures, the total volume of trade in 2012 stood at $1.5 billion. Non-oil trade between the two counties soared by 7.5 percent in 2013 and registered $897 million. Russian and Emirati businessmen partnered in more than 350 joint ventures in the UAE. The editorial added, "Extremism has become a bane that hurls a serious challenge to entire humanity. The importance of preserving international peace and protecting the stability of the Middle East region should never be underestimated. "With that in mind, it is good to note that the two leaders took up for discussion a crucial range of subjects including security, counter-terrorism and backing the legitimate government of Yemen so as to enable it to play its social and developmental role." In conclusion, the paper said that the sincere desire of the leaderships in both countries to diversify the scope of cooperation to serve mutual interest will surely reap more rich dividends in the years to come.
