Prince Saud bin Nayef conveys the condolences of the UAE leadership on the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid

Prince Saud bin Nayef, Governor of the Eastern Province, conveyed the condolences and sympathy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to the Emirati President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and his deputy, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, on the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid.

This came during Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s reception at Zabeel Palace in the Emirate of Dubai, on Friday, the Emir of the Eastern Province, and the accompanying delegation, Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd, Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers, and Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr, Governor of Al-Ahsa, praying to God that the deceased be bestowed with His forgiveness and satisfaction and reside in His spacious Paradise.

On Thursday, Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, during which he expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to him on the death of his brother, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid, praying to God for mercy and forgiveness for the deceased, and to place him in spacious Paradise.

For his part, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the sincere brotherly feelings he expressed.

On Friday, the Chiefs of Staff of the states parties to the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” reviewed the security situation and threats facing the Kingdom, praising the vigilance and professionalism of the Saudi Armed Forces to ensure the safety of citizens and residents and the security of the country.

During their meeting in Riyadh, the Chiefs of Staff of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan expressed their strong condemnation of the attacks that targeted Mecca and the Kingdom’s civil and economic infrastructure.

The participants discussed ways to move forward in enhancing cooperation between the armed forces of the three countries, and developing intelligence cooperation, military coordination, and integration of capabilities, in a way that contributes to enhancing deterrence and collective defense.

The participants noted that their meeting in Riyadh reflects the strength of the defense partnership between the three countries, stressing their joint determination to immediately begin translating the commitments contained in the “Mecca Agreement” into effective military cooperation.

The three countries stressed their commitment to collective defense, which embodies their determination to defend Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, praising the solid relations and mutual trust that unites their peoples and armed forces.

The foreign ministers of the three countries held a meeting in New York on Thursday, during which they reviewed the progress made regarding the establishment of the General Secretariat, the committees and working groups emanating from the agreement, and the preparations to begin their work. They also condemned the attacks that targeted Mecca, and civil and economic installations in the Kingdom, stressing Saudi Arabia’s right to take the measures it deems appropriate to defend its security in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

It is noteworthy that the “Mecca Agreement” included considering any attack on one of its parties a target for all of them, while the joint military response is subject to evaluation by the members, especially the country under attack, after studying the extent of its need according to the nature of the attack, the level and seriousness of the threat, and the required participation of the parties, in order to achieve the desired integration.