The head of the U.S. Central Command discussed military cooperation with HH the Emir of Qatar Wednesday as the Pentagon considers beefing up the U.S. military presence in the Gulf nation. At a time when the United States is threatening possible military action against Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is considering putting a forward command post the Gulf. Some 1,000 U.S. troops have recently been deployed in the region.

Gen. Tommy Franks and the emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, talked about ways of improving cooperation between the two countries, especially in the military fields, the official Qatari News Agency reported. Al Thani also holds the defense portfolio in the Qatari cabinet.

The U.S. Embassy in Doha would not comment except to say the meeting fell "within the framework of the warm relations between the two countries."

Pentagon officials announced this week that 600 core staff would move in November from Central Command's current headquarters in Florida to a base in the Gulf for a training exercise. Central Command oversees U.S. military operations in the Gulf, east Africa and Central Asia, including Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Qatari foreign minister, H.E. Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani, said last week in Washington that a war in Iraq would destabilize the Middle East. He said the Bush administration has not asked for permission to use al-Udeid airbase in the country to launch strikes against Iraq.

"If they ask us, we will consider it carefully," he said.

A British defense ministry official, Lord William Steven Bach, was in Kuwait, meanwhile, on a three-day visit to discuss military matters with Kuwaiti officials, the state-owned Kuna news agency said

PHOTO CAPTION

HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, received at his Emiri Diwan office yesterday afternoon Gen Tommy Franks, Commander of the US Central Command and his accompanying delegation. Co-operation ties between the two friendly countries and means of enhancing them, especially in military domains were reviewed during the meeting.