Gulf and US security links enhanced after visit by Homeland Security head

The US secretary of homeland security Janet Napolitano met with Qatari Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani  and signed an a security agreement between US and Qatar and for continued collaboration and increased security initiatives before flying to Abu Dhabi where she attended  Gulf States Global Police Symposium in Abu Dhabi.

Tha Abu Dhabi newspaper, The National, reported that the talks could have a direct benefit for travellers from Abu Dhabi claiming that US-bound travellers departing from the UAE capital could clear customs before boarding their plane.

According to the newspaper the US and UAE have signed a letter of intent in recent days to implement "pre-clearance" in the Abu Dhabi airport, in what would be the first location for such a set-up in the Middle East. Other airports that offer pre-clearance are in Canada, the Caribbean and Ireland.

"It allows you to clear customs here before you even get on a plane to the United States ... it effectively moves the borders of the United States outward," Ms Napolitano explained during a two-day visit. "We don't do it very often so it's a signal of our partnership here."

Pre-clearance is meant to speed entry into the US upon arrival, though passengers would still have to go through immigration and customs in Abu Dhabi. The programme would also help the US screen passengers who might be denied entry before they flew to the country.

The National said that setting up the system would be complicated and costly, and there were no plans at the time to expand to other airports such as Dubai, said Ms Napolitano. "Let's get it in Abu Dhabi - these are big things, and they are expensive - and we'll see where we go from there," she said.