Pompeo visits the Emirates on its tour of the Middle East
The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, met today in Abu Dhabi with the Crown Prince of this emirate, Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, as part of his tour of the Middle East which has taken him first to Israel and now to the Persian Gulf.
Pompeo and Al Nahyan, who is also commander-in-chief of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) armed forces, discussed "the latest regional and global developments of mutual interest and discussed ways of promoting bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation", according to the official Emirate news agency WAM.
The meeting took place at Al Shati Palace in the UAE capital, and both sides "exchanged views on the situation in the Persian Gulf and Middle East and the ongoing efforts and movements to resolve regional crises and contain tensions," WAM added without giving further details.
They also discussed the so-called "Abraham Agreements" which the UAE signed with Israel last September, together with Baréin, to normalise relations between the two Arab countries and the Jewish state, with the sponsorship of the USA.
According to a statement issued by the US State Department, the main aim of Pompeo's visit is precisely to "analyse progress in normalising UAE-Israeli relations" and other bilateral issues, including "addressing Iran's evil influence in the region".
The UAE is a prominent partner of Washington in the Gulf and a staunch enemy of Iran, against which the administration of US President Donald Trump has managed to unite its Arab allies and Israel.
"During the Trump Administration, the relationship between the US and the UAE has grown in depth and breadth more than in any previous period", Pompeo stated in the note.
The US government gave the green light some ten days ago to the sale to the UAE of military equipment worth $23.37 billion, including 50 F-35 fighter planes, which generated considerable controversy.
From Abu Dhabi, Pompeo travelled to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, also two of America's priority partners in the region, though they are at odds with each other in a conflict that Washington has failed to mediate in.