Gates holds talks with King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan
Published: Mar 11, 2010 00:14 Updated: Mar 11, 2010 00:17
RIYADH: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday for a one-day visit to hold talks with Saudi officials on bilateral matters.
Gates arrived here following a three-day visit to Afghanistan, and will leave on Thursday morning. The secretary held separate talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation.
Gates’ visit precedes recent trips to Riyadh by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, head of United States Central Command Gen. David H. Petraeus, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen.
During his meeting with Prince Sultan, Gates reviewed aspects of cooperation between the two countries and discussed ways and means of enhancing them to strengthen bilateral relations. They also discussed the latest developments at the regional and international levels.
The meeting was attended by Prince Khaled bin Sultan, assistant minister of defense and aviation for military affairs, senior Saudi and US civil and military officials, and US Ambassador to the Kingdom James B. Smith.
Political circles reported that the talks focused on shared concerns over Iran’s nuclear intentions and ballistic missile program, the situation in Yemen and the proposed withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
According to news reports from Washington, US defense officials said Gates would discuss with King Abdullah US efforts to impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
“The secretary will provide an update ... about where we are in our Iran policy, as we’ve pivoted from the engagement track to the pressure track,” an official is reported to have said. The United States has expanded land- and sea-based missile defense systems in and around the Gulf to counter what it sees as Iran’s growing missile threat, and arms sales to Gulf allies have risen sharply in recent years.
Saudi Arabia bought $3.3 billion worth of US arms in 2009, according to a Pentagon estimate. The Patriot missile systems, which were originally used in the region during the Gulf war to shoot down aircraft, have now been upgraded to hit missiles in flight.
Petraeus revealed in January that the US now has eight Patriot missile batteries stationed in the Gulf region — two each in four countries. He did not name the countries, but a military official told Associated Press that they are Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.

Comments
WASEEM
Mar 11, 2010 12:47
Report abusePRESIDENT SAMI ABUZENID
Mar 11, 2010 12:52
Report abuseand destructive western threat. War makers are now certain that the idea
of invading Iran had colapsed because such invasion would lead to fierce
retaliation aimed at Europe's. Hence, the agony to better sanction is a sign
of defeat for NATO. Consequently, the British.
EHUMERT
Mar 11, 2010 12:54
Report abuseNow the question is what is Gates doing in Saudi Arabia? He should be in Israel helping it to fight " Palestinian terrorists". What is he selling here in Saudi Arabia? For God's sake, can we stop buying billion dollar weapons from the US, BAE and European weapons exporters? Why not Muslim countries decide to stop buying weapons from the west as long as the west keeps backing Israel? That could be the best deal to fix the free world's habit of supporting every act of the only democracy in the middle east. Muslim countries should develop their own manufacturing industry instead of relying on their enemies for supply of weapons.
They can't retaliate by stop buying our oil as they are oil hungry and can't live without that.
NISHTHAR IDROOS
Mar 13, 2010 12:18
Report abuseWAQAS-AL-DIN AL-AMERICANI
Mar 13, 2010 12:25
Report abuse