Gulf leaders to meet in Riyadh on May 5

Foreign ministers will discuss topics that will be put forth during meeting with Obama at Camp David

Gulf Arab leaders will meet in Saudi Arabia next week for their annual advisory summit.

The summit has no formal agenda, but talks are expected to focus on the situation in Yemen and on the latest developments in the region.

It will be held days before the GCC leaders meet US President Barack Obama.

Kuwait’s Foreign Minister was quoted as saying that the meeting was to prepare for a May summit with US President Barack Obama and it is expected to touch on Iran’s nuclear programme as well as developments in Yemen.

The White House said earlier this month that Obama will meet leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) group of countries at the White House on May 13 and at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, the following day.

Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA said Foreign Minister Shaikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah told journalists there that GCC heads of state would meet in the Saudi capital Riyadh on May 5.

“It [the summit] will be preceded by a meeting on Thursday [April 30] at the level of foreign ministers to agree and coordinate what will be put forth at the Camp David summit that will bring together the GCC leaders and President Barack Obama,” KUNA quoted Shaikh Sabah as saying.

The US summit will be an opportunity for Obama to discuss concerns about the deal reached with Iran on its nuclear programme, as well as the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

Gulf Arab countries are close allies of the United States but have had differences with Washington over Iran’s nuclear programme, US policy in Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.