04 Sep 15. Carter Reaffirms U.S.-Saudi Strategic Relationship’s Importance. Defense Secretary Ash Carter today reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia strategic relationship during a meeting here with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.
In a statement summarizing the meeting, Cook said the leaders discussed mutual concerns in the region, including the ongoing crisis in Yemen and the importance of reaching a negotiated political settlement there.
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout: Today, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met with Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman in Washington, D.C. The Secretary reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia strategic relationship and the leaders discussed mutual concerns in the region including the ongoing crisis in Yemen and the importance of reaching a negotiated political settlement there. Building on commitments made at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit hosted by President Obama at Camp David this past May and Secretary Carter’s recent visit to Jeddah in July, Secretary Carter took the opportunity to further conversations on Saudi Arabia’s underlying defense requirements and supporting Saudi efforts to build capacity to counter new and emerging security challenges within the region. Secretary Carter reiterated future regional defense capabilities would need to provide not only conventional deterrence but also address unconventional and asymmetric threats the region is most likely to face from Iran, ISIL and others. Secretary Carter also participated in an earlier meeting today at the White House with President Obama and King Salman bin Abd alAziz along with other members of the Saudi delegation.
Building on commitments made at the Gulf Cooperation Council summit hosted by President Barack Obama at Camp David in May and Carter’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia in July, the secretary took the opportunity to further conversations on Saudi Arabia’s underlying defense requirements and supporting Saudi efforts to build capacity to counter new and emerging security challenges within the region, Cook said.
Future Regional Defense Capabilities
Carter reiterated that future regional defense capabilities not only would need to provide conventional deterrence, but also would have to address unconventional and asymmetric threats the region is most likely to face from Iran, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and others, the press secretary said.
The secretary also participated in a meeting at the White House earlier today with Obama and King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, along with other members of the Saudi delegation, Cook added. (Source: US DoD)
04 Sep 15. Saudi Arabia is satisfied with assurances from U.S. President Barack Obama about the Iran nuclear deal and believes the agreement will contribute to security and stability in the Middle East, a senior Saudi official said on Friday.
Saudi King Salman met with Obama at the White House on Friday to seek more support in countering Iran, as the Obama administration aimed to use the visit to shore up relations after a period of tensions.
The visit is the king’s first to the United States since ascending to the throne in January 2015, and comes after the United States agreed to a nuclear deal with Iran in July.
The U.S.-Saudi relationship has suffered strain because of what Riyadh sees as Obama’s withdrawal from the region, a lack of direct U.S. action against President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and a perceived U.S. tilt towards Iran since the 2011 Arab uprisings.
But the countries share many strategic objectives and depend on each other on a number of core security, economic, and political issues.
Speaking after the meeting between Obama and Salman, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Obama had assured the Saudi king that the agreement prevents Iran from acquiring a