UAE Ambassador to the UK Visits Edinburgh

Abu Dhabi, Feb 27, 2011 (WAM) - Abdulrahman Ghanem Al Mutaiwee, UAE Ambassador to the U.K., visited Edinburgh on 23rd and 24th February for talks with political and business leaders, and senior university academics. It was the first ambassadorial visit to Scotland in 39 years.
Accompanied by Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum Al-Maktoum, First Secretary at the UAE Embassy in London and Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim, President of Zayed University, the UAE envoy was welcomed at the Scottish Parliament by Fiona Hyslop MSP, Minister for Culture and External Affairs.
At their meeting, the Minister thanked the UAE official for his interest in Scotland and his efforts to strengthen further the good ties between both countries.
Al Mutaiwee said, "It has been a privilege for me to visit Edinburgh and to meet so many senior people from the worlds of politics, business and academia in Scotland. A key part of my mission is to spread the word as far and wide as I can that the UAE is a very good friend of the UK, continually looking for ways to improve our business and trade together, as well as our political, cultural and academic links. The UAE is full of exciting opportunities and I have been telling our friends here in Scotland about some of them." Promoting business was also the theme of a round table with representatives from Scottish industry and financial services, as well as at a formal business dinner in the evening at Edinburgh City Chambers, hosted by Councillor Jenny Dawe, Leader of Edinburgh City Council. Earlier in the day the UAE envoy visited Edinburgh University, where he and the delegation had lunch with a number of senior academics, hosted by Professor Stephen Hillier, Vice Principal International. - Emirates News Agency, WAM