Biden says US remains committed to Middle East
July 16, 2022
President Joe Biden told a summit of Arab leaders on Saturday that the United States would remain an active, engaged partner in the Middle East.
"We will not walk away and leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia or Iran,'' Biden said.
"The United States is invested in building a positive future in the region, in partnership with all of you, and the United States is not going anywhere,'' he added.
Biden spoke on the last stop of his trip to the Middle East, at a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
On Friday, he confronted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. During the tense meeting the Saudi prince told Biden that the US had made mistakes too.
In his remarks on Saturday, Biden said: "The future will be won by countries that unleash the full potential of their populations ... where citizens can question and criticize leaders without fear of reprisal."
US hoping to shore up relationship with key allies
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has exposed the divergence between Washington and key Middle East allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Biden reminded them that the United States shares their concerns over Iran.
"The United States will not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardize freedom of navigation through the Middle East," Biden said.
Biden also invited his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to visit the United States.
"We both understand that the challenges we face today only make it a heck of a lot more important that we spend more time together. And I want to formally invite you to the States," Biden said after the two men met on the sidelines of the gathering of Gulf leaders.
Biden meets Iraqi and Egyptian leaders
The US president also had bilateral meetings with Iraq's caretaker prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Biden said he wanted to support Iraq's democracy. The country has been without a government since national elections were held in October.
"I want the press and you to know we want to be helpful as we can in doing that,'' Biden told al-Kadhimi.
In his meeting with Biden, el-Sissi discussed food security and disruptions to energy supplies, the Egyptian presidency said.
The United States has committed $1 billion (€991 million) in food security assistance for the Middle East and North Africa.
lo/kb (AP, AFP, Reuters)