UAE, Saudi Arabia to attend U.S. peace conference in Bahrain

The UAE also announced its support for the workshop and its participation in it with a delegation.

By OMRI NAHMIAS, REUTERS
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan as he sits down to a meeting with of Gulf Cooperation Council leaders during their summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (photo credit: JONATHAN ERNST / REUTERS)
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan as he sits down to a meeting with of Gulf Cooperation Council leaders during their summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
(photo credit: JONATHAN ERNST / REUTERS)
CAIRO - The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday said it welcomed a June 25 to 26 "Peace to Prosperity" economic workshop hosted in Bahrain in cooperation with the United States.
The Trump administration has cast the conference as an overture to its own plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
The UAE also announced its support for the workshop and its participation in it with a delegation, Emirates News Agency (WAM) said later on Wednesday.
The UAE was the first to formally join the international conference, in which the Trump administration is set to present the economic part of the peace plan. Later in the day, Saudi Arabia announced it will participate in the summit as well. 
Saudi Arabia will send Economy and Planning Minister Mohammed bin Mazid Al-Tuwaijri to the event. 
"His Excellency's participation is in continuation of Saudi Arabia's firm and supportive positions for the Palestinian people," the Saudi Press Agency published on Wednesday. "Achieving [for them] stability, growth and decent living. And achieving general security, stability and prosperity in the region."
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement that the workshop "aims to lift the Palestinian people out of misery and to enable them for a stable and prosperous future," according to WAM.
"The UAE reiterates its support for the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital," the statement added.
The Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the future capital of any Palestinian state. Israel calls Jerusalem its capital.