Under the patronage of the UAE's President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, General Shaikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, inaugurated Sunday at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Centre the 7th biennial International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex 2005) in the presence of high profile dignitaries from across the world.
Present at the opening ceremony were King Abdullah II of Jordan, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, and a number of Sheikhs, defence ministers, commanders and chiefs of staff of participating countries, as well as UAE ministers, senior military and civilian officials and heads of diploamtic missions in Abu Dhabi.
Over 900 exhibitors from 50 countries are displaying a multitude of equipment and systems of interest to the region during this Middle East's largest arms show.
It should be noted that some 40 leading Russian arms manufacturers are present at the exhibition. Russian manufacturers put on display their export military and dual-purpose products inside one national pavilion having a floor-space of about 1,000 square meters, ITAR-TASS reported.
During the show, the host country - the United Arab Emirates - is planning to announce new deals to equip its armed forces.
