Military Will Vacate Dubai Base As UAE-Canada Aviation Talks Fail

Canada is being forced to vacate its military base in the United Arab Emirates following the apparent failure of negotiations to expand aviation links between the two countries, the defence minister said Monday.

Peter MacKay confirmed that the UAE has followed through on its threat to deny the Canadian military access to a base known as Camp Mirage near Dubai.

The UAE had been seeking more landing rights in Canada for its national carriers, Emirates and Etihad. Air Canada objected to the move.

MacKay indicated talks aimed at smoothing over the impasse have stalled.

“There have been discussion going on between the minister of foreign affairs and his counterpart. These discussions have been going on for some time,” MacKay said as he wrapped up a two-day tour of Kandahar.

“And at this point we will abide by the wishes of the Emirates, and… we will be leaving the base.”

That will affect Canadian troop movement to and from Afghanistan. The base was to play a central role in the planned withdrawal of troops from Kandahar following the July 2011 end to the combat mission.

“We’ll always act in Canada’s best interests and one thing I know about the Canadian forces, they’re very adaptable,” MacKay said.

“They have alternative plans, they have contingency plans. With that in mind we’re going through the various options that are before us right now.

“And we’ll continue to do our mission here in Afghanistan… and we’ll find other ways to support this mission through other hubs in the region,” he added.

The UAE has blamed Canada for the failure of the years-long negotiations.

UAE’s ambassador to Ottawa, Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ghafli, warned Sunday that the failure to clinch a deal will “undoubtedly affect” bilateral relations.

The Canadian defence minister, however, struck a more conciliatory tone.

“We are very grateful for what the United Arab Emirates have allowed us to do within their country,” MacKay said.

“They have been very supportive of the Canadian mission, supportive of the mission writ large, and for that we thank them.”

The two UAE airlines currently operate six flights a week to Toronto from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They are seeking to increase frequency and locations.

Air Canada has argued against increasing the flights, saying there is very little passenger traffic originating from the UAE and the airlines are merely taking Canadians to third countries with stopovers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

But Ambassador Al-Ghafli said with 27,000 Canadians living in the UAE, six flights per week do not service the economic needs of both countries.

“It is unfortunate that this process has been so protracted and frustrating,” he said.

“The UAE entered negotiations in good faith on the understanding that a solution would be reached and that constructive ideas would be brought to the negotiating table. The fact that this has not come about undoubtedly affects the bilateral relationship.”

The UAE is Canada’s largest trade partner in the Middle East and North Africa with bilateral trade of over $1.5 billion.