US President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Saud in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on March 14. (AP)
WASHINGTON, March 14, (Agencies): President Donald Trump met with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday for a discussion that was likely to touch on investment opportunities in the kingdom and efforts to stop the war in Syria. Trump, who took office in January, and Prince Mohammed who is also the kingdom's defense minister, kicked off their talks in the Oval Office, where they posed for a picture in front of journalists and did not take questions.
US Vice President Mike Pence, Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, chief of staff Reince Priebus and strategist Steve Bannon were also present. The meeting was the first since Trump's inauguration with the powerful prince, who is leading the kingdom's efforts to revive state finances by diversifying the economy away from a reliance on falling crude oil revenues. After visiting in the Oval Office, Trump and his advisers joined the prince and the Saudi delegation for lunch in the White House state dining room.
The prince, who departed for Washington on Monday, is spearheading the kingdom's economic overhaul to become less dependent on oil and its major investments in US technology firms. He will be the first Gulf Arab royal to meet the president since his inauguration. Key issues at the top of the agenda are likely to include global energy prices, as well as the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, where a Saudi- led coalition backed by Washington has been bombing Iran-backed Shiite rebels for nearly two years.
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and biggest buyer of Americanmade arms, is also part of the US-led coalition bombing campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. Saudi relations with Washington cooled under President Barack Obama after his administration secured a nuclear deal with regional rival Iran. The deal has been heavily criticized by Trump.
Obama had also openly criticized Gulf Arab countries, expressing frustration at their feud with Iran. In contrast, the kingdom has expressed optimism about rebuilding its alliance with Washington and working with the Trump Administration to contain Iran's reach in the region. In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. The monarch is currently touring Asia in a visit aimed at building alliances with other partners.
Global
With a myriad of global and regional issues to discuss, here's a look at the openings and obstacles the US-Saudi relationship faces under Trump: What are the common goals? Saudi Arabia has welcomed Trump's hard rhetoric on Iran, which stands in contrast to the Obama administration's efforts in securing a nuclear deal with Tehran — despite strident objections from Riyadh. The Trump administration also included Iran in its travel ban for people seeking new visas. Saudi Arabia views the Shiite-ruled nation's influence in Yemen, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as a danger to its security. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al- Jubeir said last month that Trump's language on containing Iran's reach is 'exactly' the Saudi position, adding that the kingdom is 'very optimistic about the Trump administration.'
In a call between Trump and King Salman in January, the two agreed to back safe zones in Syria and Yemen, according to a White House statement. Under Trump, Washington has continued to support a Saudi-led intervention in Yemen that has been criticized for its devastating humanitarian toll on the impoverished nation. Intelligence sharing on al-Qaeda and other extremist threats is expected to continue under Trump, and the kingdom remains part of the US-led coalition bombing Islamic State targets in Syria.
Where are there hurdles? Gerald Feierstein, a former US ambassador to Yemen and director of the Center for Gulf Affairs at the Middle East Institute, says while the mood is still optimistic between Washington and Riyadh, there are 'some fl ashing yellow lights, if not red lights.' For one, he said there appears to be an expectation from the White House that the Saudis and other Gulf nations will pay more for US protection and security. And while the appointment of former Exxon chief Rex Tillerson as secretary of state may sit well with the Saudis, the Trump administration's energy plan involves maximizing US domestic production of shale oil and gas, which threatens Saudi Arabia's ability to profit off of higher oil prices.