The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, has strongly criticised Washington's role in the Middle East peace process.

In an interview with the New York Times, Sheikh Zayed said American policy was biased against the Palestinians: whatever the Palestinians said was discarded, while Israeli demands were imposed.

In a separate development, the Emir of Bahrain, Sheikh Isa bin Sulman al-Khalifa, is beginning a two-day visit to Washington, during which he'll meet President Clinton.

A BBC correspondent in the region says the visit -- set against a background of disenchantment by Arab states with the US-backed Middle East peace process -- comes at a critical time for American foreign policy in the Gulf.