Latest news with #BritishOfficials
The National
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Best photos of May 12: Hajj pilgrims leaving Afghanistan to rehearsal for Eurovision
1970 October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership. 1971 March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and 'strongly supports' the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates. July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE. July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement. August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year. August 15: Bahrain becomes independent. September 3: Qatar becomes independent. November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE. November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force. November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed. December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Sky News
08-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News
UK and US have agreed trade deal terms, Sky News understands
This isn't the post-Brexit silver bullet deal - but it could pave a way forward The nuts and bolts of this deal are yet to emerge, and we are not likely to get them today, writes US correspondent Mark Stone The "heads of terms" nature of it - just the outline - is an indicator that it was in the interests of both sides to get something out there now. To be clear, this is not a US-UK trade deal of the type the UK was seeking immediately after Brexit. That sort of deep partnership takes years to materialise. (It's worth saying though that it does provide a bedrock and a series of relationships from which a broader trade deal could, over time, be built.) This deal is an economic deal which reduces or maybe eliminates Trump's liberation day tariffs. The UK had a proposal on the table before the president's liberation day in the hope that it could dodge the levies. This deal, which included offerings on digital services taxes and reducing the levies on US cars coming to the UK, was developed in the weeks after liberation day. Difficult to get Trump to engage British officials in Washington were often frustrated by the "speculative" nature of the negotiations - they often negotiated with White House officials from two distinct teams who themselves didn't know what the president's position would be. Frequently, officials on the UK side, but also from the US side, said they couldn't determine when a breakthrough would come because engagement from the president himself was difficult to achieve. But patience paid off. So too did Starmer's very deliberate "softly softly" approach with Trump. Despite the buffeting to emerge from the White House on so many issues, the UK government stood firm on its position that it was not in British interests to rock the boat with Trump. The week of the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund was a key moment. It allowed for face-to-face meetings between the top US and UK economic teams. What to look out for Seeing the detail will be key. Does it include any small print which will allow US agricultural products into the UK? Could this undermine UK food policy standards and impact alignment with the EU? There are many questions. Look out for a deal on cars. Trump is obsessed with the barriers to US cars being sold in UK and Europe. The UK may reduce its auto tariffs to 2%. This would please Trump. But will it mean more American cars on UK roads? Crash test experts say they are not as safe as European designed cars largely because of their size and weight. This is a diplomatic win for the UK. But lots of detail is yet to come. Trump will spin this as proof that his tariff plan works - it forces countries to capitulate. The UK's challenge is to show that this was not a capitulation but smart diplomacy and a coup for Britain.
Bloomberg
06-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
UK and US in Intensive Talks on Economic Deal to Reduce Tariffs
By and Joe Mayes Save Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks global trade. Sign up here. The UK and US are in intensive discussions about an economic agreement that would reduce the impact of some tariffs, with a team of British officials in Washington to negotiate terms this week, people familiar with the matter said.
