‘A historic turning point’ as Saudi Deputy Crown Prince meets Donald Trump

Saudi Arabia has claimed “a historic turning point” in relations with the US after President Donald Trump welcomed Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House.

According to a Bloomberg report, a senior adviser to the Crown Prince said in a statement after Tuesday’s meeting that “relations had undergone a period of difference of opinion”. “However, today’s meeting has put things on the right track, and marked a significant shift in relations, across all political, military, security and economic fields.”

The praise for Trump’s “great understanding” of US-Saudi relations reflects the eagerness for a renewed alliance after deep strains with former President Barack Obama, who crafted the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

The new administration sees Saudi Arabia “as a crucial part of the Middle East and an important country to have a positive relationship with – even if there are irritants in the relationship,” said Simon Henderson, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and director of the institute’s Gulf and Energy Policy Program. “This is at odds with the Obama administration, so they want to make that clear distinction.”

Source : Al Arabiya