Kerry says US-Saudi friendship stronger than ever

U.S. Embassy staff watch U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speak, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, before leaving Saudi Arabia.

He said, “There is a need for a special process that allows us to focus on priorities which conduced to this process and would show the way for taking the first steps regarding negotiations with Syria with the confidence of everybody in the initiatives of the UN Secretary General envoy Steven De Ministora over the coming days to unite all parties within these negotiations”. Two previous attempts to negotiate an end to the conflict have failed.

The mystery behind that silence may just have been resolved, with a front page New York Times exposé about the extent of Saudi cooperation with and support for the American effort against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.

The government has meanwhile said it is ready to attend the talks. A spokesman at the U.S. State Department declined to immediately comment. Moscow is a key ally of the Syrian government and has been carrying out airstrikes against insurgents since September 30.

The committee’s decision to name a member of the Saudi-backed Islamist Jaish Al Islam rebel group as its chief negotiator has drawn criticism from some of its own members as well as opposition figures excluded from the coalition. The United States insists Mr. Assad must eventually leave power and elections be called within 18 months of a cease-fire and peace talks starting.

But Russia has made progress in weakening US opposition to Assad standing for re-election, according to Russian and Western diplomats.

The US Secretary of State conveyed the greetings of US President Barack Obama to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have discussed respecting the right of Syrian people to define the future of their country.

He will hold talks with King Salman and his powerful son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, who is the defence minister.

Kerry said the United States has “as strong a friendship with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia as we have ever had”, adding that “nothing has changed” because of the Iran nuclear deal.

Saudi Arabia and some of its allies cut diplomatic ties with Iran this month after angry mobs ransacked Riyadh’s embassy in Tehran and a consulate in the second city of Mashhad. Both countries, bitter regional rivals, are involved in organizing the Syrian peace talks, and the rising hostilities have raised concerns that their spat will spill over and impact the peace talks.

Al-Jubeir said the OIC foreign ministers’ meeting barring Lebanon unanimously condemned Iran’s actions on Thursday.

Al-Jubeir said Iran has behaved in this manner for more than 35 years. “If it continues to do so, then Muslim states would have no option but to take more measures against Iran”, Al-Jubeir was quoted as saying.

Mr Jubeir has denounced Iran for its “hostile and aggressive stance” against Arab nations. It has given Tehran access to billions in formerly frozen assets. “The position of these countries was clear and strong against Iran’s aggression…” Six of the seven are dual nationals.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, have caused concern around the globe. “I don’t believe the United States is under any illusion as to what type of government Iran is”.

US Secretary of State John Kerry addresses the assembly at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on January 22, 2016.