World

Muslim leaders invited to summit with Trump: Saudi media

Arab-Islamic-American Summit will be among a series of talks expected to be held in Riyadh on May 20-21

Afp May 10, 2017

Saudi King Salman. PHOTO: REUTERS

RIYADH: King Abdullah II of Jordan, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Niger's Mahamadou Issoufou are among leaders invited by Saudi King Salman for a summit with US President Donald Trump.

The Arab-Islamic-American Summit will be among a series of talks expected to be held in Riyadh on May 20-21, Saudi officials said.

Saudi Arabia says Trump visit to enhance cooperation in ‘fighting extremism’

Trump has frequently been accused of fuelling Islamophobia but aides described his decision to visit Saudi Arabia as an effort to reset relations with the Muslim world. There will also be a separate meeting between monarchs of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and Trump, as well as bilateral talks between the Saudi and US leaders, Riyadh's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has said.

In addition to heads of state from Jordan, Algeria and Niger, the official Saudi Press Agency reported that Salman asked Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and Morocco's King Mohammed VI to attend. The leaders of Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq and Tunisia have also received invitations, the Arab News daily reported on Wednesday.

PM to attend US-Arab, Islamic Summit in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia - which is home to Islam's holiest sites - will be Trump's first foreign stop since becoming president in January. "It is a clear message to the world that the United States and the Arab and Islamic countries can form a partnership," Jubeir said in Washington, according to SPA. "We believe that it will strengthen cooperation between the United States and Arab and Islamic countries in the fight against terrorism and extremism, and the visit will have enormous benefits for the region and the world."

The Saudis have found a more favourable ear in Washington under Trump, who has echoed their concerns about Iran's influence in the region.

COMMENTS (2)

Shah | 7 years ago | Reply @Raj - USA: ; My dear friend, Your vision seems to be constipated; The way Trump and Saudis want this to go is that most of the Islamic country heads must get together and discuss optimum solution and a resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli issue; Once Islamic nations are having a stance on the issue to be resolved then from KSA, Trump goes to Israel to put on table the majority of Islamic nations position to resolve the conflict once and for all; Peace is of prime importance and hopefully its within sight and reach;

Raj - USA | 7 years ago | Reply My guess is that Trump will avoid this summit, Even if he attends it, it will be one-sided talk from /trump and will not interact or engage in any conversation with muslim leaders. His domestic constituency in US will not look at favorably. Now, it is no longer Trump, but his constituency that matters.

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