Fri 03 June 2022:
The White House praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for extending a ceasefire in Yemen ahead of US President Joe Biden’s reported visit to Saudi Arabia.
The US administration’s shift in tone is notable given that Biden had implicated bin Salman squarely for the murder and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, in Turkey in 2018.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Thursday that bin Salman and Saudi King Salman deserved credit for their efforts in extending the cease-fire in Yemen’s conflict.
“This truce would not be possible without the cooperative diplomacy from across the region. We specifically recognize the leadership of King Salman and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia in helping consolidate the truce,” she said.
According to reports, the US president will be visiting Riyadh and will meet bin Salman in conjunction with a trip to Europe and Israel in late June.
Though the purpose of the trip was not officially declared, it is understood that Biden is aiming at bolstering relations with Saudi Arabia at a time when gasoline prices have been spiralling in the United States.
According to Reuters, Biden will attend a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh. The Gulf Cooperation Council includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Although Jean-Pierre would not confirm the Biden visit, she did say: “What the president is focused on first and foremost is how his engagements with foreign leaders advance American interests. That’s as true with Saudi Arabia as anywhere else.”
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:
TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent
FACEBOOK (CLICK HERE)
https://web.facebook.com/ipindependent
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
