UAE Committed to Maintain Constitution, Rights & Freedoms: President Khalifa

(Abu Dhabi) – President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has emphasized the commitment that exists to maintain the constitution and to preserve rights and freedoms, which are the pillars of political work at all the institutions. He said: “While preserving the constitution, we respect our Islamic belief, UAE traditions and norms”.
Inaugurating the second ordinary session of the 15th Legislative Chapter of the Federal National Council, President Khalifa said in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, that “We are going forward firmly to bring our political experience to its (desired) ends so as to achieve development and expand participation. We are also looking forward to the pivotal role of the FNC, as a supportive and control authority to further strengthen the government with its visions and innovative ideas”.
Sheikh Khalifa noted that the FNC has witnessed a qualitative development with regards to the experiment in expansion of participation that resulted in the holding of the second elections on September 24, 2011. He added that this was one of the phases of the gradualist political empowerment programme launched in 2005 to activate the role of the FNC.
Sheikh Khalifa called on the FNC members to communicate always with fellow citizens and to protect the bond between the various segments of Emirati society “in our quest to entrench the culture of consultation and participation in decision-making, as well as to emphasise the importance of individual opinions in formulating the opinion of the society.”