Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah welcomes UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed before the opening of the GCC consultative summit in Riyadh May 6, 2006. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed attends the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Manama. (AFP)

King Mohammed VI of Morocco (L) is received by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 27, 1999. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed al-Nahayan (R) receives Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Henry Shelton, Sept. 2, 1998. (AFP)

US Vice President Al Gore (R) shakes hands withSheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (L) of the UAE during a press conference 12 May, 1998. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa chatting with French President Jacques Chirac 26 May, 1998. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa chatting with French President Jacques Chirac 26 May, 1998. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R), escorted by Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal Ganzuri, upon his arrival at Cairo airport for an official visit to Egypt in 1997. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed waves from his vehicle as he leaves 10 Downing Street in Central London. (AFP)

Sheikh Nasir bin Hamad al-Khalifa (C), son of Bahrain's King Hamad, standing at his wedding ceremony next to his new father-in-law Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (L) and UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed in Dubai. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed inspects the Pakistani Military Honor Guard during a ceremony upon his arrival in Islamabad, 27 December 2005. (AFP)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (L) meets UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi 09 August 2000. (AFP)

Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat offers a stone engraving of Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock to Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi 7 August 2000. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, praying over the casket of late Syrian President Hafez Assad in Damascus 13 June 2000. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa presents his condolences to Syrian heir apparent Bashar Assad on the sidelines of the funeral of President Hafez Assad's in Damascus 13 June 2000. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa (R) and Jordanian King Abdullah leave their meeting in Abu Dhabi 16 May 2000. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa walks with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud (L) upon his arrival at Abu Dhabi airport 17 April 2000. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed meets with Omani leader Sultan Qaboos (R) in Muscat 26 February, 2000. (AFP)

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed (R), Sheikh Khalifa meets with British Defense Secretary Geoffrey Hoon in February 2000 in Abu Dhabi. (AFP)