On Tuesday, Obama arrived to Saudi Arabia to pay respects to the legacy of the late King Abdullah and to touch base on working issues with King Salman, which include the anti-IS fight, the situation in the Middle East, including Yemen, Iran nuclear negotiations.WASHINGTON, January 27 (Sputnik) US-Saudi cooperation tocombat the terrorist group the Islamic State is amongmain discussion points atthe first US President Barack Obamas meeting withnewly enthroned Saudi King Salman, US Deputy National Security Advisor forStrategic Communications Ben Rhodes said onTuesday.Given the importance ofsome ofthe things we are doing withSaudi Arabia, including the counter-ISIL campaign, it will be important forthe President [Obama] toestablish that relationship withKing Salman, Rhodes said commenting onthe agenda ofObamas visit toSaudi Arabia.
On Tuesday, Obama arrived toSaudi Arabia topay respects tothe legacy ofthe late King Abdullah and totouch base onworking issues withKing Salman, which include the efforts againstISIL, the situation inthe region, including Yemen, Iran nuclear negotiations and the broader US-Saudi relationship, the White House said.
We have, amongthe Saudi leadership, led byKing Salman, partners who we have worked withclosely and who will want tostay invested inthe efforts likethe counter-ISIL campaign, likethe pursuit ofregional stability, that have been the hallmark ofour cooperation, Rhodes continued.
As todiscussing the situation inthe oil market withKing Salman, the deputy national security advisor said, Energy and oil is certainly a part ofour relationship and our ongoing dialogue withSaudi Arabia. I would not expect it tobe certainly not high onthe agenda today.And it is more likely those are the types ofissues that we will continue tomanage ata working level, Rhodes added.
Islamic State, also known asthe Islamic State ofIraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) and the Islamic State ofIraq and the Levant (ISIL) controls vast areas ofSyria and Iraq, implementing radical sharia law. The militant group, notorious forits human rights atrocities, began operating inSyria in2012 and invaded Iraq in2014.
A US-led international coalition has been carrying outairstrikes againstthe Islamic State formonths. Several allied states have also vowed totrain Iraqi and Kurdish ground forces, aswell asmoderate Syrian opposition groups.
By Sputnik News
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