Two Saudi Delegations To Visit U.S. As Ties Improve
Date
6/4/2022 11:25:44 PM
(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
Two Saudi government delegations plan to visit the United States
this month, officials said on Saturday, as Riyadh and Washington
step up efforts to fix strained ties and lay the ground for an
eventual visit by U.S. President Joe Biden, Trend reports citing
Reuters .
The first delegation is expected to visit Washington on June 15
and will be led by Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid bin Abdullah
al-Qasabi. The second, led by investment Minister Khaled Al-Falih,
is planned by the end of the month, two officials said.
The officials declined to be named as the plans had not been
made public.
The delegations are expected to include dozens of government
officials and Saudi company executives who will discuss agreements
and deals in several sectors including transportation, logistics
and renewable energy, they said.
The Saudi government did not immediately respond to a request
for comment.
Biden publicly acknowledged on Friday that he may travel to
Saudi Arabia soon, a trip that multiple sources say is expected and
could include talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman.
The visit would help mend relations with Saudi Arabia, which
have come under strain because of rising energy prices, the Yemen
war and the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 at
the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.
Biden's announcement followed a decision on Thursday from the
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known
as OPEC+, to boost oil output, and an agreement between the
Saudi-backed government and the Iran-aligned Houthis to extend a
truce in Yemen. Biden and the White House praised Saudi Arabia for
both decisions.
The U.S. stance is also changing as it worries about Gulf
states' deepening ties with China and Russia.
'Regardless if Biden's visit takes place or not, both sides are
working to restore ties on an institutional level and in different
sectors,' said one of the officials.
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