Washington – Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, discussed means to increase co-operation between the UAE and the USA with State Secretary Rex Tillerson during his visit to Washington on Tuesday.

During the meeting, which was attended by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the officials demonstrated the developments on regional and international arenas, especially the crises witnessed by Syria, Yemen and Libya as well as the challenges that face the Middle Eastern region and undermine its foundations of peace and stability.

The discussions included the international community’s efforts in fighting terrorism, extremism and violence, and the co-ordination of the two countries in this regard. They highlighted the importance of continued support to these efforts to spread peace and establish the foundations of security and stability in the region.

The US and the UAE signed a new and updated defense agreement that could allow Washington to send more troops and equipment to the UAE in the latest sign of deepening ties with the close Gulf ally, Department of Defense said on Tuesday.

The agreement reflects the broad range of military-to-military cooperation that the UAE and US enjoy today, according to spokesman Christopher Sherwood.

Sherwood described the agreement as a framework that dictates “the magnitude and conditions of the US military presence in-country.”

The spokesman said that this will provide US military the ability to more seamlessly respond to a range of scenarios in and around the UAE, if necessary. He didn’t provide any further details.