U.S. President Barack Obama met Saudi Arabia’s new interior minister,
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, to discuss security and regional issues. (Al
Arabiya)
By AL ARABIYA WITH REUTERS
U.S. President Barack Obama met Saudi Arabia’s new interior minister,
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, on Monday to discuss security and regional
issues, the White House said.
Prince Mohammed, appointed in November after the death of his father,
veteran Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz, is best known as
Saudi Arabia’s long-time security chief and has garnered the praise of
Western governments for his role in the campaign against al-Qaeda.
“They affirmed the strong partnership between the United States and
Saudi Arabia, and discussed security and regional issues of mutual
interest,” the White House said in a brief of the Oval Office talks
between Obama and Prince Mohammed.
Seen as an ally of the West, Saudi Arabia - the world’s top oil exporter
- has provided critical intelligence to foil al-Qaeda plots, bankrolled
pro-Western Arab governments and has supported Washington's attempts to
isolate Iran over its nuclear program.
Prince Mohammed's appointment as interior minister lifted him into a
critical role for the ruling al-Saud family and one that had only been
held by the current ruling generation.
Prince Mohammed’s visit to Washington is considered the first time a
Saudi official -- other than the King or the crown prince—has attained
such a high level audience in Washington.
Analysts say he is in tune with King Abdullah's cautious social and
economic reforms partly aimed at making Saudi society more open to
outside influence.
Source: english.alarabiya.net
Comments