U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting Saudi Arabia for what the State department called a “full schedule” of meetings with King Salman, GCC ministers, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud al Faisal.
Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive Wednesday night and stay overnight in Riyadh. On Thursday, after three-hour meetings with GCC foreign ministers at Riyadh Air Base, he visits King Salman at his ranch in Diriyah and meets with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. He concludes his trip with a press briefing with Prince Saud al Faisal, the Secretary’s counterpart at the Minister of Foreign Affairs, according to the State Department.
“We’re looking forward to the Secretary’s arrival and participation in a number of meetings in Saudi Arabia…a pretty full schedule,” the State Department said. “The meeting with King Salman is a follow-up to the meeting that President Obama and the Secretary had with King Salman when they stopped there for the follow-up to King Abdullah’s funeral. This is a really a get-to-know-you kind of opportunity for the Secretary to really begin to build the kind of relationship with King Salman that the Secretary had previously with King Abdullah. And also, of course – although – excuse me – although Mohammed bin Nayef is no stranger here – the Secretary knows him well – this would be a good opportunity, given MBN’s new roles and responsibilities, to deepen our engagement with him and also covering any issues where Mohammed bin Nayef has a lead in the Saudi Government and issues that are of importance to us.”
The briefing precedes an important diplomatic trip for the U.S.-Saudi relationship.
