Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said Thursday that US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia will reinforce the partnership between the two countries in combatting militancy and in bolstering trade and commercial agreements.
During a press conference he held on Thursday, Jubeir praised Riyadh’s “historic” ties with Washington and “expected” commercial and political deals to be signed during Donald Trump’s visit to the kingdom, scheduled on May 23, the leader’s first foreign trip as US president.
The foreign minister confirmed Saudi Arabia’s readiness to increase cooperation with countries countering ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
“We will also look at terror financing initiative, increasing cooperation between Islamic Military Alliance and the [US-led] coalition fighting ISIS in Syria and Iraq,” Jubeir added.
With Trump’s visit to the kingdom, Jubeir said that Saudi Arabia wants to send a “message” to the West that the Muslim world is “not an enemy,” adding the Riyadh comes “second” after the United States in the fight against ISIS.
The Arab-Islamic-American Summit, which will be attended by 37 leaders, will focus on combating terrorism, bolstering trade, investment, youth, and technology, Jubeir said.
Jubeir also said this “unprecedented” and “historic” summit with the US is going to “open a new page” in terms of dialogue with the Muslim world.
At end of the summit, leaders are going to launch global counter-extremism center in Riyadh, which will fight an “ideological battle”, he added.
Speaking on the recent policies undertaken by the Trump administration, Jubeir asserted the kingdom’s support especially those regarding Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We will work with our allies, particularly the US, to see that Iran is made to act like a normal country,” Jubeir said. “As long as Iran threatens with terrorism, it is impossible to have normal relations with them.”
While reiterating Riyadh’s rejection of Iran’s interference in the region, Jubeir dubbed the presidential Iranian election as an “internal matter.”
“We will judge Iran by its actions, not by its words,” he added.