Israel, UAE leaders discuss regional issues in Abu Dhabi

Tel Aviv [Israel], June 9 (ANI/Xinhua): Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett concluded Thursday his snap trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he discussed security and economic issues with the UAE's President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The two leaders held a two-hour one-on-one meeting at the president's private palace and later had lunch together, Bennett's office said in a statement.

They discussed "the promotion of regional architecture" and "several economic and regional issues," according to the statement.

The officials from the two sides also held separate working meetings, the statement said.

Bennett arrived in the UAE for a one-day visit at the invitation of the UAE's new president, which was not publically announced in advance.

The trip was Bennett's second public visit to Abu Dhabi since Israel and the UAE agreed to normalize ties in 2020.

Bennett's office said that the latest meeting was the third time the two leaders have met over the past months, with another meeting held in Egypt in March.

"Bilateral ties have grown accordingly; a trade agreement -- the first of its kind -- was recently signed," the office said.

In the past year, trade between the two countries has grown and is expected to expand further and reach approximately 3 billion U.S. dollars annually, it said. (ANI/Xinhua)

Source: WORLD