Burns in the UAE after Yemen, Oman

The American envoy to the Middle East, William Burns, started yesterday a visit to Abu Dhabi in the course of a regional tour concentrating on the Arab- Israeli conflict.

Burns who was in Oman, will give the UAE official a US document which summarize the plan to found a Palestinian state in three stages by the fall of 2005. This document has met criticism and reservations by both the Palestinians and the Israelis.

The US under secretary of state for political and military affairs, Lincoln Bloomfield, is visiting Abu Dhabi. He discussed "means of boosting political and military" cooperation between the UAE and the US, according to the UAE News Agency.

Earlier, the Omani official news agency said that Burns discussed with Sultan Qabous of Oman " issues of mutual concern " and "means of supporting cooperation" between the two countries.