UAE willing to put defence capabilities at Jordan’s disposal

AMMAN — The United Arab Emirates is willing to dedicate “military capabilities to Jordan’s armed forces”, a senior Emirati official said Thursday.

His Majesty King Abdullah received a phone call from Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who offered condolences over the death of pilot Muath Kasasbeh and expressed the UAE’s solidarity with Jordan, praising the Jordanian army and its “heroic role in combating terrorism”.

Sheikh Mohammad, who is also the deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces, condemned the acts of the so-called Islamic State terrorist group, which killed the pilot by immolation, drawing condemnation by the international community.  

The King received more calls and cables from leaders offering condolences over the death of the officer.

In the telephone conversations, the leaders expressed their countries’ solidarity and their support for Jordan under these circumstances, the Royal Court said. 

The King received calls from King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, King Felipe VI of Spain and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who, in a related report, was quoted stressing that the brutality of IS is “beyond comprehension”, noting that such acts have “noting to do with Islam”, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

King Abdullah also received similar calls from Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi, European Parliament President Martin Schulz and Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar Ahmed Al Tayeb.

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent cables of condolences as well to His Majesty. 

He also received cables from Czech Republic’s President Milos Zeman, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani.

Moreover, the Monarch received cables from Bahrain’s Deputy King and Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Lebanon’s former presidents Michel Sleiman and Amin Gemayel, and Lebanon’s former premier Fouad Siniora, as well as from the head of the Supreme Council of Iraq, Ammar Al Hakim.

The King also received cables of condolences from heads of several councils, in addition to Arab and international Islamic and Christian entities.