President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed today Her Majesty Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands to the Mushrif Palace where HM was accorded a red carpet reception and a 21- gun salute.
At the Union Hall of the Palace, Queen Beatrix shook hands with a group of ministers and top officials led by Speaker of the Federal National Council Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr. Then H.H. Sheikh Khalifa shook hands with members of delegation accompanying HM including HRH Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, his spouse Princess Maxima of the Netherlands and here Dutch Foreign Minister Uriel Rosenthal.
H.H. Sheikh Khalifa and HM Queen Beatrix exchanged honours whereas H.H. Sheikh Khalifa presented the Order of Zayed, one of the United Arab Emirates' highest civil decorations accorded to kings and heads of state, to the Queen,who paid gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Khalifa for honouring her and lauded the ever-growing bonds between the leaderships and peoples of the two friendly countries.
On her turn, The Queen awarded H.H. Sheikh Khalifa one of the most highest and prestigious honours in the Kingdom of Netherlands.
The UAE President also conferred the Union Order on HRH Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, and his spouse Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, who both thanked the UAE leader for the noble gesture, which they said signifies the depth of the UAE-Netherlands friendship.