Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

US-Saudi Agreement to Reign in Iranian Expansionism | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55374653
Caption:

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir , right, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hold a press conference following a bilateral meeting in Riyadh on May 20, 2017. (AFP/Fayez Nureldine)


Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat Adel al-Jubeir stressed on Sunday that the Arab-Islamic-US summit in Riyadh presents a key component in reigning in the threat of terrorism.

Speaking at a joint press conference with US counterpart Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Jubeir said that the Riyadh declaration confirmed importance of countering terrorism and necessity of US-Islamic partnership.

Jubeir said the conference is the first step in the joint efforts to combat evil and that inaugurating the Riyadh-based Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (GCCEI), and the May 20-21 agreements are the first step towards securing stability and prosperity for future generations.

He described the Arab-Islamic-US summit as a turning point in world history and opened a new chapter in Arab-Islamic relations shared with the US, Arab and American Islamic worlds, in order to confront extremism and for security, peace and stability.

Amid rising regional tensions, Jubeir said that Iran and Syria must halt spurring sectarian strife and interference in affairs related to regional countries.

“This is not a clash of civilizations, it is a clash for civilization,” Jubeir said. Shedding innocent blood is an act of terrorism, he added.

Jubeir said that the Kingdom values efforts spent by US President Donald Trump and is looking forward to further cooperation encompassing various fields.

He stressed that Trump’s speech was historical in terms of setting indicators regarding US foreign policy for the Middle East and bolstering cooperation between his country and the Arab and Islamic world.

Those efforts would be chiefly directed towards confronting extremism and terrorism and for building a better future for the peoples of the region and the Islamic world. Such unity will definitely endorse relations between Washington and Arab and Islamic states.

For his part, Tillerson said that the war waged on terrorism does not single out a religion or a specific sect but will guard against violence inspired by extremism.

Responding to questions on Iranian expansionism, the top US diplomat said that his country will be dealing with Iran in countries it decided to be militarily present.

Traveling to “this special place” (Saudi Arabia) is useful to us understanding everyone better here, Tillerson told reporters.