Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates met today in Abu Dhabi to discuss a range of regional issues. The meeting at the Emirates Palace took place on the heels of the secretary's visits to both Turkey and Iraq.

Secretary Carter and the crown prince began the meeting with a discussion of the campaign against the Islamic State and the battle for Mosul. The conversation then turned to U.S.-UAE cooperation on countering terrorism and defending freedom of navigation around the Arabian Peninsula.

Both parties emphasized the importance of the U.S.-UAE strategic partnership and reiterated the shared commitment to ensuring a stable and secure Middle East. ‎With both noting the already strong bilateral security cooperation, Secretary Carter and the crown prince agreed to deepen defense ties going forward.