Arab Daily Reveals Hidden Differences between Riyadh, Abu Dhabi

Rasa - The secret differences between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have endangered their long-term coalition, a leading Arab daily wrote, adding that it is unlikely that the coalition will continue outside the framework of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC).

News ID: 435576

Date: 31 December 2017 - 22:15

RNA - Al-Ray al-Youm wrote that despite the coalition between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed, strong differences are seen between the two countries on the regional issues.

The report added that Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have different views about Iran, Takfiri groups, Syria and Yemen, and Saudi Arabia considers Iran as the main threat against the regional stability but the UAE believes that the Takfiri groups supported by Riyadh are dangerous to the stability in the region.

Also on Syria, the UAE's cooperation with Damascus has angered Riyadh and Saudi Arabia considers it as a support for Iran, the daily wrote, adding that in Yemen, Abu Dhabi didn’t support Ikhwan al-Muslimoun and preferred former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The Arab newspaper had also on Saturday reported that Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's recent visit to Riyadh in light of intensified tensions between Ankara and Abu Dhabi has increased differences between Saudi Arabia and the UAE and can lead to the collapse of their coalition against Syria and Yemen.

Sources in the Arab country were quoted by al-Rai al-Youm newspaper as saying that relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have darkened in recent months, raising the possibility for Abu Dhabi to withdraw from the anti-Yemen Arab coalition.

They added that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have differences on certain issues, including the war in Yemen and relations with Ikhwan al-Muslimoun (Muslim Brotherhood) group while Riyadh and Ankara are strengthening their ties.

The Arab daily also revealed that an internal stream inside the UAE government is pressuring officials to weaken coalition with Saudi Arabia, seek a way out of the Yemen war and reinvigorate the UAE-Egypt alliance to confront Saudi Arabia and Turkey's rapprochement.

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