Reuters, Dubai, 4 Sep 2014 – The United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of Washington’s closest allies in the Middle East, has called for a “unified effort” to root out radical militancy in regional hotspots including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Afghanistan.
In a statement issued on the eve of a Sept. 4-5 NATO summit in Wales which the UAE will attend as an observer, the foreign ministry said the Gulf Arab oil and business hub wanted cooperation and coordination against what it called the global scourge of terrorism, especially in Iraq and Syria.
“An international undertaking ought to apply to other regional countries as well, including Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Afghanistan, who also suffer from the radical ideology and incitement to violence emanating from ISIL and Al Qaeda,” said the statement, issued late on Wednesday.
It did not specify the kind of action that could be taken but said a clear strategy was necessary.
“It is important that this strategy does not stop with Iraq and Syria, but seeks to tackle the phenomenon of terrorism wherever it arises. Only through such a unified effort will it be possible to combat terrorist groups and put a stop to their violence,” it said.
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has said it is seeking to build an international campaign against Islamic State jihadist fighters in Iraq and Syria, including recruiting partners for potential joint military action.