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Obama: U.S. shares Saudi concerns over security in Middle East

Xinhua, September 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday that his country shares concerns with Saudi Arabia about challenges in the Middle East.

"This is obviously a challenging time in world affairs, particularly in the Middle East, and so we expect this to be a substantive conversation across a wide range of issues," Obama said before a bilateral meeting with King Salman bin Abd al Aziz of Saudi Arabia at the White House.

"We share a concern about Yemen and the need to restore a functioning government that is inclusive and that can relieve the humanitarian situation there," Obama said, adding "We share concerns about the crisis in Syria, and we'll have the opportunity to discuss how we can arrive at a political transition process within Syria that can finally end the horrific conflict there."

The president also noted that the U.S. will "continue to cooperate extremely closely in countering terrorist activity in the region and around the world, including our battle against ISIL."

The meeting comes as King Salman is paying his first official visit to the U.S., which would cover a variety of security issues, with Iran topping the list, according to officials.

"We'll discuss the importance of effectively implementing the deal to ensure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon, while counteracting its destabilizing activities in the region," Obama said.

Calling Obama a friend, King Salman said "Our relationship is beneficial not only to our two countries, but to the entire world and to our region. And this is significant, and we must always affirm that and deepen such relations."

"Our region must achieve stability," said the King.

U.S. media said King Salman's visit takes place as Saudi Arabia seeks assurances from the U.S. that the Iran nuclear deal comes with an effort to check Iran's regional ambitions.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said this week that the U.S. was working with its Arab allies in the Gulf on a ballistic missile defense system, special operations training and large-scale military exercises. Endite