DHAKA: US state secretary John Kerry met Saudi King Abdullah as part of the US diplomat’s regional talks on the frameworks for a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians.

In a statement following their meeting, Kerry said the Arab monarch offered ‘enthusiastic support’ to US efforts to resolve the conflict.

‘I want to thank his majesty for ... his enthusiastic support for the efforts that are being made with respect to the peace process,’ he told reporters after seeing Abdullah at a desert palace outside Riyadh under a winter rainfall.

‘Today, his majesty was not just encouraging but supported our efforts in hopes that we can be successful in the days ahead,’ Kerry added, saying the Saudi ruler believed a peace deal could bring ‘great benefits’ throughout the Middle East.

Kerry said strengthening the US-Saudi partnership was critical to Middle Eastern security and stability and cementing tentative political transitions around the region.

‘The two leaders discussed the developments of the Palestinian cause, in addition to the latest regional and international developments,’ said a Saudi Press Agency report, Al Arabiya publishes this report on Monday.

BDST: 2033 HRS, JAN 06, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor