Abu Dhabi: UAE's (United Arab Emirates) new President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan has said that his country valued its special relationship with India and appreciated President A P J Abdul Kalam's gesture in personally coming to Abu Dhabi to express condolences over the death of his father and predecessor Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan.

Sheikh Khalifa, who took over as President in a smooth transition of power last night (Nov 4, 2004), made the comment when Kalam met him at the Al Bateen palace in Abu Dhabi to express condolences over the demise of his father.

During the meeting, Kalam recalled his recent visit to the UAE when he was impressed by the economic transformation brought about by Sheikh Zayed and said he recited 'Sura Yaseen', the verses from Holy Quran which one says on losing someone near and dear to him, when he heard about the UAE President's demise.

UAE Prime Minister and Vice President and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum was also present during the meeting.

"I came here to pay tributes to a great soul on behalf of people of India and my Government. Sheikh Zayed marhoom was indeed the founder of UAE.

More than anything he was a great human being and architect and a visionary who built UAE from humble beginnings to the present prosperous State. He nurtured and developed this soil as a passion," Kalam later told a gathering of the Indian community.