WAM Abu Dhabi, May 03th, 2012 (WAM) --Minister of Foreign Affairs HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan hailed today, Tunisia's strong stance during the Arab League's last session supporting UAE in the issue of its three islands occupied by Iran.

In a press conference held by him at the Ministry in Abu Dhabi today along with Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafiq Abdul Salam at the end of the sixth session of the UAE-Tunisia Joint Committee, Sheikh Abdullah said that the bond between UAE and Tunisia is based on good relations, distinctive mutual understanding and cooperation in various fields.

Sheikha Abdullah emphasised that UAE attaches paramount importance to its fraternal relations with Tunisia.

Sheikh Abdullah said that the Committee's meeting comes at a transitional stage for the Tunisian Government, and it reflects UAE's sincere desire to tighten closer relations with the Republic and help maintain the political and economic stability there, supporting it to move forward in the process of political and economic reforms.

He congratulated the Tunisian people for their achievement of harmony and a political process, which looked difficult and painful. But Tunisia sent a message of hope to the brothers in the countries of the Arab Spring that there is a good path to promote national unity, he said.

Sheikh Abdullah expressed his pride about the results of the meetings of the UAE -Tunisia Joint Committee.

"We desire for more cooperation during my next visit to Tunisia or the seventh session of the Committee's meetings to discuss the prospects of a new variety in the relations between the two countries", said Sheikh Abdullah.

He added: "At the Joint Committee meetings, we discussed cooperation in the field of scientific research and renewable energy between universities in the UAE and the University of Zaytuna in Tunisia. The meeting also discussed the development of certain agricultural programs in addition to cooperation in the environmental field.

He pointed out that the two countries also laid out a framework for cooperation between the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and certain Tunisian authorities to guarantee a number of programs envisioned in Tunisia in the field of dams, roads, health and rural development.---MORE---.

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