Organisers of the next edition of the America’s Cup, due to be staged in Ras al-Khaimah in February, said they would meet the BMW Oracle team next week to assure them there was no security threat.

Khater Massaad, chief executive of the Ras al-Khaimah Investment Authority, said officials from the emirate would meet the California-based team to try and allay any concerns.

Oracle, backed by software executive Larry Ellison, said in court papers filed in New York on Friday the 2010 race should be moved to Valencia in Spain, citing a US State Department advisory warning Americans to “exercise a high level of security awareness” due to possible attacks from al Qaeda and other militant groups.

The disagreement is the latest twist in a two-year legal battle over the terms of yachting’s most prestigious race.

“We were surprised and shocked. We have written to Larry Ellison that RAK is part of the UAE and the place is safe,” said Massaad, noting Oracle’s Middle East headquarters were based in nearby the UAE emirate of Dubai.

“The UAE has 10 million tourists a year and millions of Americans and other foreigners live here. There is absolute safety,” he said.