The UAE has begun a three-day mourning period to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, state news agency Wam reported on Friday. Flags in the Emirates and at embassies abroad will fly at half-mast for the duration.
The mourning period will end on Monday, September 12. UAE and Gulf leaders have been paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II since Thursday evening, when the monarch died at the age of 96.
The news was announced by Buckingham Palace hours after it was confirmed she was placed "under medical supervision" at Balmoral in Scotland.
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said on Twitter: "I extend my sincere condolences to the family of Queen Elizabeth II and the people of the UK. "Her Majesty was a close friend of the UAE and a beloved and respected leader, whose long reign was characterised by dignity, compassion and a tireless commitment to serving her country."
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who knew the Queen for many years, said: "We join the world in mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, a global icon who represented the finest qualities of her nation and people.
The UAE and UK share a close bilateral relationship covering economic, strategic and cultural interests. Queen Elizabeth had built the foundation for the friendship when she visited the Emirates back in the late 1970s. The most travelled monarch in the world, Queen Elizabeth had visited the UAE twice – in 1979 and 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment