Gulf tour for US defense secretary

US Secretary of Defense William Cohen is due to arrive in the next few days in Doha as part of a tour of some Gulf Cooperation Council states, following his current Asian tour.

Informed sources in Doha said today that Cohen is to discuss in his talks with high-ranking officials the Iraqi file and its instablility, in addition to US endeavors to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's government.

On the other hand, the maritime forces for the six member states in the Gulf Cooperation Council started yesterday joint maneuvers in the Gulf taht are expected to last until the middle of the current month.