UAE withdraws from US-led maritime coalition
The United Arab Emirates has withdrawn from a US-led maritime coalition in the Persian Gulf, it said Wednesday.
The UAE “withdrew its participation” in the 38-nation Combined Maritime Forces two months ago, a Foreign Ministry statement said, without giving reasons for the move.
“As a result of our ongoing evaluation of effective security cooperation with all partners, two months ago, the UAE withdrew its participation in the Combined Maritime Forces,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.
The Bahrain-headquartered CMF was established in 2001, initially as a partnership between 12 nations.
A CMF spokesperson said the UAE remains a partner nation, despite putting its participation on hold.
“The CMF still includes 38 partner nations, of which the UAE is one,” Commander Timothy Hawkins told AFP.
Earlier this month, the US said it was sending reinforcements to the Persian Gulf, which carries at least a third of the world’s sea-borne oil.
The commander of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Vice-Admiral Brad Cooper, later transited through the Strait of Hormuz in a guided-missile destroyer along with British and French naval commanders.
Iran has been adamantly opposed to the presence on Western military forces in the region, arguing Persian Gulf littoral states are capable of maintaining peace and security in the body of water.
“The UAE remains committed to responsibly ensuring the safety of navigation in its seas,” the UAE statement said, adding that the major oil exporter is “committed to peaceful dialogue and diplomatic engagement”.