Played important role in reducing India-Pakistan tensions, says UAE

NEW DELHI: The UAE played an important role in reducing tensions between India and Pakistan after Indian jets struck a terrorist training camp in Balakot, the Gulf nation's ambassador here said Monday.


Ahmed Al Banna, however, clarified the UAE did not mediate between the two countries and that the aim of its efforts was to decrease the tension.

"The UAE played an important role in easing tensions (between India and pakistan)," Banna said during an event at IIT-Delhi.

The envoy also referred to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan's telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on February 28.

"There was a phone call from our Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and deputy commander of the Armed Forces to Prime Minister Modi and to Pakistan PM Imran Khan," the envoy said.

"Our role was to give words of wisdom and tried to sort out the differences in a peaceful manner just like the UAE has done in its relationship with Iran," he said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian Air Force fighter jets bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations the next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans.

The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in which 40 soldiers were killed