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new4now ago

Obama meets influential young Saudi prince to improve relations

MEE and agencies Friday 17 June 2016 20:30 UTC Last update:  Saturday 18 June 2016 8:33 UTC

US President Barack Obama hosted youthful Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Friday, underscoring his guest's meteoric rise and increasingly pivotal role in managing strained US-Saudi ties.

The 30-year-old deputy crown prince, who has become the driving force behind economic reform and a more activist Saudi foreign policy, swept into the West Wing with a gaggle of advisers for hour-long talks

Bin Salman, the king's son and the country's defence minister, has met the biggest of Washington's big hitters during a week-long visit. He held talks with the CIA director, the secretaries of state, defense, treasury, commerce and energy as well as leading members of Congress. His meeting with Obama took place in the Oval Office, a rare honor for a non-head of state, one not afforded to the Dalai Lama earlier in the week.

As minister of defence, bin Salman got his country into expensive wars, including intervention in Yemen that reportedly cost the kingdom up to $200m per day until a ceasefire took effect

http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/obama-meets-30-year-old-saudi-prince-boost-relations-886630682