CAIRO, April 24 (UPI) — U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Cairo Wednesday for meetings with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and Defense Minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
Hagel said Tuesday the United States and its allies must remain “closer than ever” as Middle East challenges become more complex. He arrived in Egypt amid political tensions between Egypt’s Islamist leaders and mostly secular opposition, the Voice of America noted
The low-key visit to Egypt comes after Hagel stopped in Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia on his first visit to the Middle East since taking office in January, the Voice of America said. He will travel to the United Arab Emirates before returning home.
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