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                     Hagel to Meet with Egyptian Officials

   U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel meets with Egyptian officials
   Wednesday, as his first tour of the Middle East as Pentagon chief
   shifts to Cairo.
   Hagel is to hold talks Wednesday with Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel
   Fattah al-Sisi and President Mohamed Morsi.
   The officials plan to discuss defense ties between the two countries,
   as well as Egypt`s transition following the 2011 ouster of former
   president Hosni Mubarak.
   Hagel said Tuesday that allies need to remain "closer than ever" as
   challenges in the Middle East become more complicated.
   His comments came as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
   Netanyahu during the first stop on a five-nation tour.
   The trip follows a U.S. government announcement that it would permit
   the sale of $10 billion worth of advanced American weapons to Israel,
   Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
   After closing three days of talks in Israel, Hagel also traveled to
   Jordan and Saudi Arabia for meetings on Tuesday that included
   discussion of the situation in Syria and challenges related to Iran`s
   nuclear program.
   Hagel is scheduled to travel from Egypt to the United Arab Emirates to
   close out the trip.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/hagel-to-meet-with-egyptian-officials
   /1647741.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/hagel-to-meet-with-egyptian-officials/1647741.html