U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter hosted an enhanced honor cordon yesterday to welcome Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
The two leaders and other defense officials from both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia met “for a series of constructive meetings and briefings,” the Pentagon said in a readout. “The Secretary thanked Deputy Crown Prince bin Salman for Saudi Arabia’s close partnership and reaffirmed their strong relationship.”
Secretary Carter and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“In a continuation of their April conversations in Riyadh on the margins of the U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council Defense Ministerial, the two leaders discussed a wide range of security issues of interest to our two nations, including the Kingdom’s efforts to upgrade its military capabilities, the fight against ISIL, and the situation in Yemen, especially the Saudi role in the recent successful operations aimed at Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula,” the readout said.
“Secretary Carter was pleased to host the deputy crown prince and looks forward to continuing cooperation on countering extremist threats, the counter-ISIL campaign, countering Iran’s destabilizing influence in the region, and other shared security concerns.”
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter walks with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman as he arrives at the Pentagon June 16, 2016. The two leaders met to discuss matters of mutual importance. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)(Released)
Secretary Carter and Prince Mohammed last met in Riyadh on April 19th.
U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with Prince Mohammed today. White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss issues including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen and “our cooperation with the Saudis in the campaign against [ISIS],” Reuters reports.
The Deputy Crown Prince also held talks at the Saudi Ambassador’s residence in McLean with top officials from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
