U.S. President Barack Obama's national security advisor will travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday to discuss regional issues, the White House said on Sunday, Xinhua reported.
It said in a statement that in his three-day visit to the two Middle East states, Tom Donilon will discuss regional issues with Saudi King Abdullah and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
"The national security advisor's visit underscores the importance of our relationship with these two key partners," the statement added.
Donilon's visit comes at a time when civil unrest is engulfing some countries in the region, including Bahrain and Yemen, which are of strategic importance to U.S. interests.