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| High on King Salman's agenda will be winning increased US support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen [File:AP] |
The conflict in Yemen, civil war in Syria, nuclear deal with Iran and recent collapse in global oil prices will all be points of discussion for the two leaders.
The new Saudi king's first visit to Washington since ascending to the throne comes at an auspicious time for Obama as the president nears a political victory in the US Congress over opponents of an Iran nuclear deal.
Saudi Arabia has deep concerns about the recent US-led diplomatic opening with Tehran that grants Iran more than $120bn in multilateral sanctions relief in exchange for giving up its alleged nuclear weapons ambitions.
The king’s visit to the White House gives Obama the appearance of acquiescence from a key leader in the region.
"What's much more concerning to the Saudis are Iranians' policies in the region at-large," said Aaron David Miller, a Middle East analyst at the Wilson Center in Washington.
"The Iran deal is going to bring them in from the cold, and sanctions relief is going to provide resources for their regional aspirations.
"That will be very much on Salman’s mind, as well as Yemen, Syria, to a lesser extent Iraq and Iran's support for Hezbollah," Miller told Al Jazeera.
Military cooperation
For Obama, King Salman's visit is a consummation of the US campaign to win support for the nuclear agreement through promises of increased regional military cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the other Arab Gulf States as laid out at the Camp David summit in May. A joint statement by the US and Gulf Cooperation Council last month cited "Iran’s support for terrorism and destabilising activities in the region".
High on King Salman's agenda will be winning increased US logistical and intelligence support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, the success of which will be vital to cementing the new king's position in the region and base of support at home.
The Saudis have called for an end to the insurgency in Yemen by the Iran-backed Houthis and have led a major campaign of intervention with backing from Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and Bahrain. Saudi-backed forces are preparing to recapture the rebel-held capital of Sanaa, a city of two million.
Saudi Arabia is supporting Syrian rebels fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Salman is likely to press Obama on the US' stated goal of achieving a managed political transition in Syria.
So far, Obama's military engagement in Syria has been limited to targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), stopping short of challenging Assad who has Iran's backing.
"The president and the king will discuss a range of issues and focus on ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship, including our joint security and counterterrorism efforts," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. "They will also discuss regional topics, including the conflicts in Yemen and Syria, and steps to counter Iran's destabilising activities in the region."
Source: Agencies
