Joe Biden spoke to King Salman of Saudi Arabia for the first time as president, before the publication of a U.S. intelligence report that is expected to implicate the Saudi prince in the 2018 murder of Washington Post dissident and columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
A White House account of the summons did not mention the report, but said, in another context, that Biden “affirmed the importance that the United States attach to universal human rights and the rule of law” and that the two discussed the “mutual work” Issues of concern “.
The Saudi embassy in Washington said the two men “confirmed the strength of bilateral ties and discussed Iran’s evil activities in the region and ways to promote peace in Yemen.”
Biden has been much cooler with Riyadh than Donald Trump, cutting off US support for Saudi-led war in Yemen and refusing to speak directly to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a close ally of Trump, than U.S. intelligence he believes he has approved and possibly ordered Khashoggi’s death and dismemberment after he was lured to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The CIA gave this assessment in a confidential briefing to Congress in 2018 and is expected to deliver an unclassified version soon.
The White House has also strongly suggested that it is preparing to take further action against those it considers responsible for the murder. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Thursday that there were areas where the United States “would express concerns and leave the accountability option open.”
It followed statements by national security adviser Jake Sullivan last week, in which he said the government would take further action when the report is released, a remark that was seen by human rights activists as an opening for new possible sanctions against Saudi financial entities, and possibly the Crown Prince himself.
The Thursday night call came after two days of anticipation in Washington, after the White House repeatedly said the two leaders should speak “soon”. When the calls did not take place on Wednesday and Thursday morning, two sources who followed the matter told the Guardian that the apparent delay reflected the White House’s difficulty in contacting the king directly. The White House declined to comment.
“Historically, MBS controlled his father’s telephone table,” said a person who knew the Saudi royal family well.
The White House has made it clear that Biden regards the 85-year-old king as his counterpart, not the crown prince, who runs an increasingly repressive regime in Riyadh. United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Prince Mohammed in his role as defense minister.
The White House version of Thursday’s appeal to King Salman emphasized the positive aspects of the relationship, saying the president “would work to make the bilateral relationship as strong and transparent as possible”.
The two leaders discussed Yemen and efforts to end the war there, and emphasized that the United States would continue to provide military support “to help Saudi Arabia defend its territory while facing attacks from groups aligned with Iran”.
The White House report said that Biden “positively noted” the release of political prisoner Loujain al-Hathloul and several Saudi-American activists, and “affirmed the importance that the United States attach to universal human rights and the rule of law”.