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UAE president on UK state visit | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The president of the United Arab Emirates is on a two-day state visit to Britain amid claims that three Britons were tortured in Dubai before being jailed on a drug charge. | |
Sheikh Khalifa Al-Nahyan will be hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle. He will meet David Cameron on Wednesday. | Sheikh Khalifa Al-Nahyan will be hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle. He will meet David Cameron on Wednesday. |
Mr Cameron has said he will raise the case of the imprisoned Britons, who were jailed for four years each. | Mr Cameron has said he will raise the case of the imprisoned Britons, who were jailed for four years each. |
The UAE is Britain's largest export market in the Middle East. | The UAE is Britain's largest export market in the Middle East. |
The two countries have a growing partnership in defence and security. | The two countries have a growing partnership in defence and security. |
President Al-Nahyan's state visit follows one made by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to the UAE in 2010 and a visit there by Mr Cameron last November. | President Al-Nahyan's state visit follows one made by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to the UAE in 2010 and a visit there by Mr Cameron last November. |
The president's late father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan paid a state visit to the United Kingdom in 1989. | The president's late father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan paid a state visit to the United Kingdom in 1989. |
Annual bilateral trade between the UK and the UAE now exceeds £10bn and over a million Britons visit the UAE each year. | Annual bilateral trade between the UK and the UAE now exceeds £10bn and over a million Britons visit the UAE each year. |
A squadron of RAF Tornado jets is currently based at Al-Minhad, a discreet and well-guarded airbase south of Dubai, which is one of the seven emirates which make up the UAE. | A squadron of RAF Tornado jets is currently based at Al-Minhad, a discreet and well-guarded airbase south of Dubai, which is one of the seven emirates which make up the UAE. |
The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner says millions of pounds have been spent by the UAE on upgrading the base, which will soon serve as a vital staging post for the withdrawal of British combat forces and their equipment from Afghanistan. | The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner says millions of pounds have been spent by the UAE on upgrading the base, which will soon serve as a vital staging post for the withdrawal of British combat forces and their equipment from Afghanistan. |
Torture claims | Torture claims |
On Monday, east Londoners Suneet Jeerh, 25, Grant Cameron, 25, and Karl Williams, 26, were found guilty of possessing synthetic cannabis in Dubai. | On Monday, east Londoners Suneet Jeerh, 25, Grant Cameron, 25, and Karl Williams, 26, were found guilty of possessing synthetic cannabis in Dubai. |
The men say they were subjected to torture by police, including electric shocks and beatings. | The men say they were subjected to torture by police, including electric shocks and beatings. |
Police in Dubai have denied any wrongdoing and say an internal investigation into the torture allegations found no evidence to support the claims. | Police in Dubai have denied any wrongdoing and say an internal investigation into the torture allegations found no evidence to support the claims. |
Legal rights charity Reprieve has taken on their case and in an earlier letter to the campaign group, the prime minister wrote: "We continue to press for evidence for a full, impartial and independent investigation into the allegations. | Legal rights charity Reprieve has taken on their case and in an earlier letter to the campaign group, the prime minister wrote: "We continue to press for evidence for a full, impartial and independent investigation into the allegations. |
"The absence of an independent medical examination remains a concern. | "The absence of an independent medical examination remains a concern. |
"During the state visit of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed there will be opportunities to raise a wide range of issues including concerns about this and other consular cases." | "During the state visit of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed there will be opportunities to raise a wide range of issues including concerns about this and other consular cases." |