By Xinhua,
Abu Dhabi : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday arrived in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), starting a two-day visit to the Gulf oil-exporting country, the official Emirates News Agency reported.
Rice held talks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crownprince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, over bilateral relations between the two countries and a series of regional issues.
During the meeting, Shiekh Mohammed reiterated his country’s keenness to support all regional and international efforts aimed at achieving security, peace and stability in the region.
He also expressed the hope that diplomatic dialogue and peaceful approaches will prevail in the region.
Sheikh Mohammed and Rice also exchanged views on regional and international issues, as well as efforts being made to arrive at a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East and the developments in Iraq and Lebanon.
Rice briefed Sheikh Mohammed on the outcome of Geneva talks, the progress on the Iranian nuclear dossier and the purpose of her tour of the region.
After meeting with Sheikh Mohammed, Rice attended a meeting with foreign ministers of countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as Iraq, Egypt and Jordan.
The details of the meeting are still unavailable, but it is believed that the Iranian nuclear issue is on the agenda, local news website thenational.ae said.
U.S. Undersecretary of the State Department William Burns joined the international talks, which involved Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, with Iran in Geneva on Saturday in a bid to make Iran suspend sensitive nuclear work.
It was the first time when such a high-ranking U.S. official attends a world meeting that included Iranian officials.
Established in 1981, GCC is a regional political and economic bloc that consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.