UAE banishes Canada from base, blocks (Defence Minister) MacKay from its airspace

[Newsjock]

Source: The Globe and Mail

The United Arab Emirates abruptly ended years of collaboration with the Canadian Forces on Monday, forbidding Defence Minister Peter MacKay and his top general from even flying over the country on a return trip from Afghanistan.

The public rebuke flowed from a spat over Canadian landing rights for airlines based in the Gulf and will complicate the Canadian Forces’ exit from Afghanistan next year, officials and experts said.

Throughout its deployment in Afghanistan, Canada has relied on Camp Mirage in the UAE as a stopover on the way to and from Kandahar and Kabul. But the UAE put an end to that arrangement after failing to secure dozens of new landing slots in Canada for Dubai-based Emirates airline and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways.

While the diplomatic and commercial dispute was brewing for months, Canadian officials were shocked when Mr. MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff General Walt Natynczyk were told that they could not land at Camp Mirage or even fly over the UAE, senior federal officials said.


Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/uae-closes-airspace-to-mackay-blocks-his-flight-from-afghanistan/article1752151/

[KurtNYC]

1. interesting

there is lots of this stuff going on. I have lost track of whether China has re-established diplomatic relations with Japan. But there is lot re-aligning going on and IMHO it has to do with the next 20 years or so of pumping every last drop of oil out of the Gulf. China is securing a sea-based path to import oil.

Canada is a major oil producer. It is the #1 source of imported oil for the USA. China has leased oil from northern Canada, etc. So in spite of it's minority image, Canada is a player in the oil futures and battle for resources of this century.

Thanks for posting.

[molly77]

4. Canada also has a prime minister , Stephen Harper,

with the same diplomatic skills as g bush. Canada had been spending more on the military and less on social programs since Harper took office. His administration treats their Native Americans horribly. mohawknationnews.

[zehnkatzen]

2. Oh. It WAS something they said. k/r n/t

[Canuckistanian]

3. Obviously, the Canadian government doesn't know how the game is played

If the UAE does you a small favor, you're supposed to give them everything that they want.

Failure to abide by UAE Calvinball rules have consequences.

[PDJane]

5. Yep. It was something they said and did........

And I'm not at all upset that they have had their snouts crimped in this way.

[CHIMO]

6. UAE disappointed with Canadian actions

The UAE official said an agreement granting the Canadian side landing rights had initially expired in June and in the spirit of goodwill it was extended on request from the Canadian government for three more months.

“Out of goodwill, the UAE granted the extension of three months, but the Canadian side did not show any similar act of goodwill towards the UAE,” the official said.

The official added: “But when it comes to free trade and economic liberalisation, Canada today is behaving like the defunct states of the Iron Curtain.”

The official added the Canadian minister’s aircraft was well aware and long in advance that the MOU on landing rights had expired.
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/uae-disappointed-with-canadian-actions-1.695559