BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (NNN-WAM) — The European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council has issued a statement welcoming investigations by the Dubai authorities over the killing of Hamas leader Mahmoud Al Mabhouh and called on all countries to cooperate with it.

It said in a statement: “The killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai on Jan 20 raises issues which are profoundly disturbing to the European Union.

“This was an action which cannot be conducive to peace and stability in the Middle East. The EU strongly condemns the fact that those involved in this action have used fraudulent EU member states’ passports and credit cards acquired through the theft of EU citizens’ identities.

“The EU welcomes the investigation by the Dubai authorities and calls on all countries to cooperate with it. The countries concerned in the EU are themselves carrying out full investigations into the fraudulent use of their passports.

“The EU is committed to ensuring that both EU citizens and countries around the world continue to have confidence in the integrity of EU member states’ passports in the EU. It believes that its passports remain among the most secure in the world fully meeting all international standards. EU member states’ passports include a range of physical security measures to prevent forgery and abuse.”

In DUBAI, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan welcomed the statement.

“The UAE welcomes the statement made by the Council and wholeheartedly agrees that the assassination was not conducive to peace and stability in the Middle East.

“I would like to thank the EU Council of Ministers for their expression of support and cooperation. We will continue to work with the EU in this investigation which has highlighted that the defrauding of passports are an infringement of national sovereignty as well as international law,” Sheikh Abdullah said.

– NNN-WAM

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