UAE minister Gargash says Somalia creating ‘unnecessary’ tension

[Deeq A.]

UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said Somalia created tension that’s uncalled for after its seizure of a civilian aircraft this week and money on board that’s allocated for the Somali army.

“The current Somali government has, via several violations of previous arrangements and understandings with the UAE, created unnecessary tensions with a friend and an ally that stood with Somalia’s security and stability in the darkest moments,” Gargash said on Twitter on Tuesday night.

He also called for prioritizing wisdom and rationality.

Bahrain’s foreign minister also commented on the incident and criticized the Somali government’s behavior.

“The UAE held several conferences to support Somalia, in the presence of the Somali president. It stood with Somalia against pirates and provided money, arms and medicine. Somalia responded with nothing but ingratitude and harm (while) rushing to the bosom of the nation’s enemies,” he said on Twitter.

Some $9.6 million in cash was taken from the plane that had landed from the UAE at Mogadishu airport.

According to the UAE’s state agency WAM, this money was allocated to the Somali army based on a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries in November 2014 to improve military cooperation.

The UAE’s ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation said in a statement that Somalia’s move was illegal as it violated diplomatic norms between the two countries and the MoU’s provisions thus violating international norms and the rules of international law.

Source: – AL ARABIYA