US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the need to counter “aggressive” Iranian behaviour with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday in the Kingdom’s mega-city of Neom.
During the bilateral talks, Mr Pompeo and the Crown Prince also discussed the importance of “continued human rights reform”.
Following his visit to the kingdom, the Secretary of State spoke about the long-standing US-Saudi relationship, which started three-quarters of a century ago.
“Constructive visit with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Neom today. The United States and Saudi Arabia have come a long way since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and King Abdul Aziz Al Saud first laid the foundation for our ties 75 years ago,” Mr Pompeo tweeted after departing.
This is likely to be Mr Pompeo's last trip to the region before the Donald Trump administration ends its term on inauguration day, January 20.
On the issue of his responsibilities before his role ends as Mr Trump's Secretary of State, Mr Pompeo told Saudi Arabia-based Al Arabiya in an interview:
“I still have an obligation – every hour, every minute – to defend the American people and to keep them foremost in our efforts, and we’ll do that. We’ll do that to the very last minute.”
Mr Trump has yet to concede to Joe Biden, the US president-elect.
The US official was on a regional tour which included the UAE, Turkey, Qatar and Israel.
In the UAE, Mr Pompeo discussed the Expo 2020 Dubai with Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
Thanks to Crown Prince @MohamedbinZayed for his hospitality. With the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-UAE Strategic Dialogue, and the upcoming opportunity to showcase American innovation at the @expo2020dubai, our journey to advance peace and prosperity will continue to succeed. pic.twitter.com/ONwOevak9Z
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) November 21, 2020
In Israel, Mr Pompeo made a highly criticised visit to the occupied Golan Heights, making him the first US official to do, breaking with decades-long convention.
In Turkey, Mr Pompeo did not meet any Turkish government officials but instead met the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who leads 300 million Orthodox Christians, where he discussed the importance of religious freedoms in the country.
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