By DPA,
Riyadh : US President George W. Bush arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh Friday for a two-day visit to hold talks with Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdel-Aziz.
Soaring oil prices, Iran’s nuclear programme, Beirut’s political crisis, ties with Iraq and Arab support for the Palestinian authority are the kernels of the meeting with the top friend of the US in the region, King Abdullah, diplomatic sources said.
The White House has not been pleased with the reluctance of King Abdullah to intervene in the oil market or push OPEC to increase production to ease international demand and bring down skyrocketing oil prices.
Abdullah was unpersuaded during Bush’s visit in January, but Bush will raise the issue again in this meeting.
On Thursday, the Saudi news agency reported that the talks will focus on bilateral relations in addition to regional and international issues of common concern.
He is expected in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh Saturday for a meeting with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of his return to Washington, at the end of his second tour to the Middle East since he took office.
Bush’s visit to the Islamic monarchy also marks the 75th anniversary of the formal establishment of US-Saudi relations.
He arrived from Israel after a 48-hour visit in which he marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the country and stressed on the “unbreakable” US-Israeli alliance.