Abu Dhabi, June 11 (IANS/WAM) Top officials of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have held separate bilateral talks with Italian, Cambodian and German authorities, officials said.

The UAE-Italian Joint Economic Committee held a meeting to discuss the increase of trade between the two countries.

Mohammed Ahmed Al-Shehhi, undersecretary at the UAE ministry of economy, said the Italian side expressed keen interest in promoting cooperation with the UAE's public and private sectors.

Meanwhile, Sheikha Lubna Al-Qassimi, UAE minister of foreign trade, met visiting Cambodian secretary of state at the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Ouch Borith, and discussed ways to promote trade, investment and tourism.

The UAE minister said the Gulf region is now a gateway for trade between the East and the West.

On his part, the Cambodian official said the UAE is one of the major markets for his country's exports.

In another meeting held in Berlin, UAE Ambassador to Germany Mohammed Ahmed Al-Mahmoud held a meeting with a group of German parliamentarians led by Joachim Hoerster, chairman of the Arab Affairs Committee.

The meeting discussed ways to promote political and economic relations between the Gulf region and Germany.

The two sides also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East.