Four military contracts at US $5.3 billion signed at Abu Dhabi Exhibition

The United Arab Emirates - British defense agreement signed between the two countries in 1996 came into force as of Monday.

British Defense Minister George Robertson signed with the UAE army chief of staff Muhammad Bin Zayed al-Nahyan "a document providing for putting the agreement into actual realization."

In a press conference, the British defense minister, currently visiting the UAE, said the agreement promotes defense cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, a UAE military official said that so far four contracts at a value of US $5.3 billion were signed in the context of Tridex exhibition. The exhibition's organizers said two French companies won the contracts.