SAUDI ARABIA-IRAQ CRISIS/KERRY ARRIVAL 2 Kerry in Saudi Arabia to push for support against IS militants

Record ID: 189513

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-IRAQ CRISIS/KERRY ARRIVAL 2 Kerry in Saudi Arabia to push for support against IS militants
  • Date: 11th September 2014
  • Summary: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (SEPTEMBER 11, 2014) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PLANE CARRYING U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY TAXING ON TARMAC MEDIA SAUDI OFFICIALS WALKING TO GREET KERRY SAUDI OFFICIALS GREETING KERRY KERRY AND SAUDI OFFICIALS WALKING IN TO BUILDING KERRY SEATED WITH SAUDI ARABIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER PRINCE SAUD AL FAISAL (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY, SAYING: "I will say what a pleasure it is for me to be back in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and how grateful I am to his Majesty King Abdullah and to Prince al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, for their hosting this meeting today. It's a very important meeting and we very much looking forward to our discussions. Thank you." FAISAL SEATED U.S. OFFICIALS SEATED
  • Embargoed: 26th September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1AXHW0GCBSOYD7NOMY2D93REC
  • Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday (September 11) to press Arab leaders to support President Barack Obama's plans for a new military campaign against Islamic State militants, including help with greater overflight rights for U.S. warplanes.
    Kerry was met by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, and will also meet with the Saudi King Abdullah.
    "I will say what a pleasure it is for me to be back in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and how grateful I am to his Majesty King Abdullah and to Prince al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister, for their hosting this meeting today. It's a very important meeting and we very much looking forward to our discussions. Thank you," Kerry told reporters upon arrival.
    U.S. officials have cast the campaign against Islamic State as a global fight against Islamist radicals and the threat they pose beyond Syria and Iraq, particularly through foreign fighters drawn from across the world.
    While Washington has not identified specific threats within the United States, U.S. officials say they believe its fighters could return to home countries and carry out attacks. The beheading of two captive American journalists in the past month has also enraged many Americans who want Obama to respond.
    In a strong measure of support, Saudi Arabia has agreed to host training camps for moderate Syrian rebels who are part of Obama's broad strategy to combat the militants, who have taken over a third of both Syria and Iraq, U.S. officials said.
    The agreement, outlined by Obama's aides on the night of his speech to the American people laying out his expanded campaign against the Islamist group, appeared to reflect the depth of Saudi concern about Islamic State's threat to the region.
    Saudi Arabia, the richest Sunni Arab country, this year outlawed Islamic State as an extremist organisation, but it is worried that the focus on the group will distract from what it sees as a bigger regional threat stemming from Shi'ite Iran.
    The conservative Islamic kingdom has long pressed the United States to take a bigger role in aiding moderate Syrian rebel groups, which it sees as the best hope of tackling both Islamic State and the regional ambitions of Tehran.

  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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