US, UAE enter new defense cooperation pact

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the implementation of a new defense pact Wednesday aimed at bolstering military cooperation.

The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) "will enhance military coordination between the United States and the United Arab Emirates, further advancing an already robust military, political, and economic partnership at a critical time," Washington and Abu Dhabi said in a joint statement.

"The DCA will advance that interest by fostering closer collaboration on defense and security matters and supporting efforts by both nations to maintain security in the Gulf region," said the statement, a copy of which was provided by the White House.

Additional details on the agreement were not immediately available, but the announcement comes on the heels of National Security Advisor John Bolton's visit to the Gulf nation, where he met with top officials including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and National Security Advisor Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Bolton, a long-standing hawk on regional affairs, has been seeking to rally support for the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran and has been seeking the cooperation of regional leaders such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia to bolster the U.S. effort.

Speaking earlier Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, Bolton claimed recent attacks on several oil facilities in the Persian Gulf had been carried out with the use of “naval mines almost certainly from Iran”.

Bolton additionally asserted that another failed Iranian attack had occurred in the Saudi Port of Yanbu.

In early May, the UAE announced that four vessels -- including two oil tankers -- had been targeted in “sabotage attacks” near its territorial waters.

Abu Dhabi, however, has so far refrained from blaming any particular party for the alleged attack.