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Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, had the iftar meal this evening with the national service recruits at the national service school of the presidential guard, in Saih Hafeer area, at the Abu Dhabi-Dubai road.

He was accompanied by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed exchanged views with the conscripts. They told him that the national service "is a feather in the cap of youth who learnt how best to serve the nation." The recruits reiterated that the national service "is a token of gratitude and allegiance to the leadership that brings them up to be future leaders in a state whose pillars had been laid by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan."

The recruits said they learnt during the training period patience, self-reliance, harmony, live under one roof, eat at the same table, socialize and exchange views about their future and the future of the nation, as well as the national duty and how best to serve their country and people.

Sheikh Mohammed expressed his satisfaction about the youth views that reflect high sense of duty and patriotism. He saluted them for enduring the training difficulties away from home, and hailed their perseverance and enthusiasm for the national duty.

"I recall the first days of the formation of our armed forces 44 years ago by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was then the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Now President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi is the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. We are all soldiers. I served in the Army," he said.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said that "those states or individuals who doubted that our Union would not withstand challenges and that we would not build an organised capable and modern army, now believe beyond the shadow of doubt that we did it, thanks to the policies of Sheikh Zayed sustained by Sheikh Khalifa."

He noted that the UAE has now a capable and strong army due to the follow up of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, citing the training, educational and armament programmes to build an army that safeguards peace, protects borders and sovereignty.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid performed the Maghreb prayer at the training school with the youth who wished well to the leadership, and national cohesion to the UAE.

He was also accompanied by Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makoum, Staff Lt. General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Pilot Staff-Brigadier Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National and Reserve Service Authority, Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai and senior army officers.