Sheikh Zayed confers with Cohen

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan on Monday in Abu Dhabi received US Defense Secretary William Cohen, currently touring several Arab Gulf states. Later in the day, Cohen met with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Khaleifa Bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

Meanwhile, a US official accompanying the US minister explained that Cohen's talks with Sheikh Zayed will guarantee an announced arms deal to sell US warplanes and missiles at a cost of US $8 billion to the United Arab Emirates. Earlier in the day, Cohen arrived in Abu Dhabi, coming from Oman, in the context of his tour of the Gulf region and the Middle East.

Cohen will arrive in Cairo tomorrow for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Minister of Defense Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi.

Cohen's visit to Cairo comes as part of his current tour of the Arab region to discuss chances of supporting military cooperation between the US and some Arab states, as well as the latest developments in Iraq.

Diplomatic sources at the US embassy said that Cohen will convene a press conference at the end of his visit to Cairo.

Cohen is also paying a two-day visit to Kuwait during which he is meeting with the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salem al-Sabah and high-ranking officials, as he holds discussions that tackle the situation in the area and bilateral relations between the two countries.

During his visit, Cohen will inspect the US forces in Kuwait as part of the military cooperation agreement between the two countries.