Saudi Arabia shares historic, strategic relations with United States: Crown Prince Nayef

Saudi Arabia’s relations with the United States are “historic and strategic”, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef said on the occasion of the visit of CIA director Mike Pompeo to Riyadh. This is the first reported visit by a senior Trump administration appointee to the kingdom. [caption id=“attachment_3278230” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef. Reuters[/caption] “Our relationship with the United States is historic and strategic, any attempts to undermine that will falter,” Prince Mohammed said, according to state news agency SPA late on Friday. Prince Mohammed, who is also interior minister, said his country will continue to combat terrorism. In a recent phone call Saudi Arabia’s King Salman invited US President Donald Trump “to lead a Middle East effort to defeat terrorism and to help build a new future, economically and socially,” for Saudi Arabia and the region. Trump, during his presidential campaign last year, had called for Gulf states to pay for establishing safe zones to protect Syrian refugees. A statement after the phone call said the two leaders agreed on the importance of strengthening joint efforts to fight the spread of Islamic State militants. “The president requested, and the King agreed, to support safe zones in Syria and Yemen, as well as supporting other ideas to help the many refugees who are displaced by the ongoing conflicts,” the statement said.