Trump meeting a ‘historic turning point’: Saudi

Washington : Saudi Arabia has termed a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House a “historic turning point” in its relations with the United States.
The meeting on Tuesday was the first since Trump’s January 20 inauguration with the Deputy Crown Prince who is leading the Kingdom’s efforts to revive state finances.
“The meeting today restored issues to their right path and form a big change in relations between both countries in political, military, security and economic issues,” a senior adviser to Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a statement.
The talks appeared to signal a marked difference from Riyadh’s often fraught relationship with the previous administration of Barack Obama, especially following the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
The Deputy Crown Prince viewed the nuclear deal as “very dangerous”, the senior adviser said, adding that both leaders had identical views on “the danger of Iran’s regional expansionist activities”.
The Trump White House has said the deal was not in the best interests of the US.
Referring to a US travel ban on six Muslim-majority countries, the adviser said that Prince Mohammed did not regard it as aimed at “Muslim countries or Islam”.
Earlier this month Trump signed a revised executive order banning citizens from Yemen, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, and Libya from travelling to the US but removed Iraq from the list, after a first attempt was blocked in the courts.
The senior adviser said Prince Mohammed “expressed his satisfaction after the meeting on the positive position and clarifications he heard from President Trump on his views on Islam.”
The two leaders also discussed opportunities for US companies to invest in Saudi Arabia.