Hollande holds talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince

PARIS, Feb 10 (KUNA) -- French President Francois Hollande held talks in Paris Tuesday with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to discuss international and bilateral issues, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.
Both leaders "noted their broad convergence of views on regional and international questions, concerning in particular the need to fight against terrorism and the search for a lasting solution to the crises in the Middle East," the statement said.
Both France and the UAE are active participants in the coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and both have deployed air force resources for this operation.
Hollande and Sheikh Mohammad also remarked and welcomed "the excellence of relations between France and the United Arab Emirates," and "affirmed their determination to boost even more their cooperation in the areas of defence, as well as that of the economy and investments, and culture and education." On the energy sector, both parties also agreed on renewing the role of French oil company Total in developing energy resources in Abu Dhabi. (end) jk.bs