Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed met United States State Department envoy, General Anthony Zinni in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces welcomed the retired US Marine Corps General to a Sea Palace barza. It was Gen Zinni's second meeting with Sheikh Mohammed this year, having met him previously in March.
Gen Zinni, who also served as commander of the US Central Command, was dispatched to the UAE by Rex Tillerson, who was US Secretary of State at the time, as part of the envoy to help settle the dispute between Qatar and the Arab Quartet.
Sheikh Mohammed and Gen Zinni discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest, according to state news agency Wam.
The pair were joined by Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Deputy Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
Later, Gen Zinni met with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation. The two discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Gen Zinni underlined the strong relations between the two countries, while praising UAE's leading regional and international role.
Accompanying Mr Zinni were Tim Lenderking, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Gulf Affairs in the Near East Bureau at the US State Department, and Kristen Fontenrose, Director for Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council.
The delegation is expected to visit other Gulf capitals as part of US plans to host an expanded summit with the Gulf Co-operation Council, Egypt, Jordan, and possibly Morocco, next January.
The summit was initially planned for October but according to US officials, president Donald Trump's travel schedule has forced a delay.
The Zinni-Lenderking-Fontenrose visit follows US Secretary of Defence James Mattis's stop in the UAE last Friday, and the visit by head of US Central Command Joseph Votel early last week.
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