CNN reported on Thursday that US President Joe Biden may meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time next month.
The network quoted several sources as saying that the meeting took place after months of cold relations between the two countries, noting that the meeting marked a turning point for Biden, who had previously said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was a “secret” country. It has no “social values”.
Current and former US officials say Biden administration officials are in talks with the Saudis to arrange a possible personal visit during the US president’s foreign visit next month.
The sources noted that Saudi Arabia is currently chairing the Gulf Cooperation Council, so any meeting between Biden and Mohammed bin Salman will likely coincide with the council meeting in Riyadh.
“You have to rely on it to happen, it’s just the time, not whether the meeting will take place or not,” the network quoted a former US official familiar with the talks as saying.
The network noted that Saudi officials did not respond to a request for comment.
According to the network, the meeting between the US and Saudi leaders was considered normal, but now, due to the recent tensions in the relations between the two countries, it shows a big change.
According to the network, the meeting is likely to create controversy within the United States for Biden, who has strongly criticized the Saudi human rights situation, their war in Yemen and the Saudi government’s role in the assassination of critical Saudi journalist Jamal Khashgeji. .
The talk of rapprochement with the Saudis, the world’s largest exporter of crude oil, comes as gasoline prices in the United States continue to rise.
Biden has not had direct contact with Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, since taking office in January 2021, and has instead opted to speak directly with Mohammed bin Salman’s father, King Salman, 86.
US officials said Biden opposed the crackdown on Prince Mohammed bin Salman because of his role in Khashgeji’s assassination.
Washington imposed sanctions on Saudi officials allegedly part of Khashgeji’s assassination team, but did not go further and punished Muhammad bin Salman himself.
Officials said Biden believes direct action against the prince could cause irreparable damage to important anti-terrorism and anti-Iran relations.
Officials said Biden himself was cautious about how to deal with Saudi Arabia and hoped to prevent a complete breakdown in relations while maintaining his commitment to promoting democracy abroad.
The network revealed that Brett McGurk, the US National Security Council’s Middle East and North Africa coordinator, and Amos Hochstein, the State Department’s adviser on global energy security, were working behind the scenes to improve relations with Saudi Arabia.
A senior official said the two men had visited Saudi Arabia four times since last December, most recently in Riyadh in February, where they met directly with Mohammed bin Salman to show good diplomatic intentions and pave the way for a Provide possible. Meet Biden and the Crown Prince
He said the talks had become more urgent in the past two months as the United States sought to isolate Russia around the world over its invasion of Ukraine.
And last Tuesday, Muhammad bin Salman’s younger brother, Khalid bin Salman, visited Washington and met with Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Adviser, Hacstein and other officials.
Khalid bin Salman also hopes to attend a meeting of the US-Saudi Joint Strategic Planning Committee at the Pentagon this week.
Source: Lebanon Debate
