His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received Thursday a telephone call from U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel

, reiterating the steadfast U.S. commitment to its strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirtes (UAE).

U.S. Defense Department said in a statement released last night, that, “Mr. Hagel affirmed the importance of maintaining strong bilateral defense cooperation to ensure a stable and secure Middle East, a common objective of both countries.”

“Secretary Hagel noted that new forms of multilateral cooperation were required to address the evolving challenges of the Middle East, and the secretary lauded the U.A.E.'s efforts to work with the United States and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council to expand regional collaboration. The conversation ended with a discussion on regional issues, including Syria, Egypt and Libya.” (WAM)

File Photo: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel meets with General Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 25, 2013. Hagel met with defense leaders on his last stop on a six day trip to the region.

Photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo