DUBAI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday expressed "surprise" over the statement issued by Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher "attacking" the UAE, Emirati state news agency WAM reported.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Dagher's statement was delivered "in a manner that goes counter to reason and realities on ground and does not do justice to the monumental efforts the UAE is making within the Saudi-led Arab coalition in support of Yemen, and its stability and security."
The Yemeni prime minister made a statement on his Facebook account, questioning the UAE's military presence in the Yemeni Socotra Island, which "left the island in a state of anxiety."
The UAE foreign ministry stressed that UAE is playing a balanced role in the Yemeni Socotra Island to establish peace and stability and support development projects for the Island's residents.
It said the UAE military presence in all liberated Yemeni governorates, including Socotra , fits within the efforts made by the Arab Coalition to support "legitimacy at this critical stage in the history of Yemen."
The ministry emphasised that the UAE has "no ambitions" in Yemen or any part of it, and its steps in many Yemeni governorates come within the context of supporting Yemen's security and stability, as well as helping legitimacy and Yemeni people.
The UAE is part of a Saudi-led Arab coalition that has been fighting the Shiite Houthi rebels since March 2015 to support the internationally-recognized government led by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
The Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran of arming the Houthis, who have fired scores of ballistic missiles on Saudi troops and cities since the outbreak of hostilities.