US House Speaker meets Saudi King for regional security talks
US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan arrived in Riyadh yesterday to begin a trip to the Middle East
Mr Ryan met Saudi King Salman in the first regional stop for talks centred on security.
They discussed “bilateral co-operation” between the longtime allies, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
A statement by Mr Ryan’s office said his meetings in the Middle East “will focus on regional stability, the campaign against ISIL and terrorism, and Iranian aggression”. He is scheduled to visit the UAE today.
Saudi Arabia is a member of the US-led coalition fighting ISIL in Iraq and Syria. The kingdom and the US also co-operate by sharing intelligence related to extremist groups such as Al Qaeda.
Riyadh’s relations with Washington were strained under president Barack Obama, whose administration helped negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran.
Saudi-US ties have since improved under President Donald Trump, whose first overseas visit in office was to the kingdom in May. The two sides signed off more than US$100 billion (Dh367bn) in military sales to Saudi Arabia during that time.
State-run Saudi media showed Mr Ryan with King Salman after he was received at the airport in Riyadh by the head of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council, a consultative body that is appointed by the monarch.
Mr Ryan’s visit follows US Vice President Mike Pence’s delayed trip to the region.