ABU DHABI — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday from Bahrain as part of his multi-leg tour of the Middle East. It marked the first visit of the top US diplomat to the United Arab Emirates after the Gulf state and Israel announced a historic deal on Aug. 13 to normalize ties between the two countries. Pompeo was received by UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The US secretary of state and the UAE national security adviser reviewed a number of regional and international issues of concern in addition to the prospects of further consolidating the strategic relations between the two friendly countries, the UAE's state news agency WAM reported. They explored the latest developments relating to the global fight against COVID-19 and the two countries' efforts to stem the fallout of the pandemic. Pompeo Sheikh Tahnoun also discussed the peace accord between the UAE and Israel and its key role in advancing peace and stability in the region. Pompeo had talked to Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on phone on Tuesday.
