A file photo of Salman bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud. PHOTO: REUTERS
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud has refused an invitation to attend a landmark summit hosted by President Barack Obama, amid angst over US-Iran nuclear negotiations.
Obama had invited six Gulf kings, emirs and sultans to the presidential retreat at Camp David, seeking to shore up wavering trust while Washington negotiates with regional power Tehran.
Obama’s plans now lie in tatters, with only two heads of state slated to attend the Thursday meeting.
Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Washington said recently named Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef would instead lead the Saudi delegation to the meeting. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will also be there.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir said King Salman would miss the meeting “due to the timing of the summit, the scheduled humanitarian ceasefire in Yemen and the opening of the King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2015.
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