UAE president receives Russian envoy for Middle East, Africa

MOSCOW. March 7 (Interfax) - Russia and the United Arab Emirates are close in their fundamental approaches to the conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa and believe that there is no alternative to their peaceful settlement.

This was stated during a discussion between Russian Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The UAE president received Bogdanov, who is on a working visit to Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.

"The sides discussed current issues around the further strengthening of Russian-Emirati multifaceted ties that are developing in the spirit of a strategic partnership," a statement on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website said.

"The sides confirmed the firm commitment of Moscow and Abu Dhabi to maintaining a regular and trusting political dialogue [and] an intensive expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation in trade and economic relations, energy, investment and in the cultural and humanitarian field," it says.

"When discussing international and regional issues of mutual interest, the sides noted the proximity of the two countries' principled approaches regarding the absence of an alternative to the peaceful settlement of numerous conflicts and crisis situations in the Middle East and North Africa in accordance with the fundamental provisions of the UN Charter," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.