Prince Muhammad bin Salman greets with fists
Delivering opinions on human rights issues to Saudi Arabia
US President Joe Biden, who visited Saudi Arabia for the first time since taking office on the 15th (local time), met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and pointed out the issue of the assassination of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
President Biden greeted Crown Prince bin Salman at the Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on the same day. When they met King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, they exchanged a formal handshake.
Foreign media, including Archyde.com, evaluated President Biden’s gesture as revealing the uneasy feeling of the United States in relation to the Khashoggi assassination issue.
Crown Prince bin Salman has been identified by US intelligence as the mastermind behind Khashoggi’s assassination.
Although Crown Prince bin Salman denies all the allegations, President Biden pointed out this and declared that Saudi Arabia would be ‘bullying’ in the international community, and diplomatic relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia have continued to stagnate.
However, following the surge in international oil prices following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February, he went on a tour to persuade Middle Eastern countries to increase oil production in order to stabilize oil prices. President Biden is currently on a three-day trip to the Middle East.
Ahead of his visit to Saudi Arabia, President Biden has been criticized for changing his hardline attitude out of political necessity.
Before the official meeting in Saudi Arabia, President Biden and Crown Prince bin Salman were asked questions such as “Is Saudi Arabia still bullying?” and “Would they apologize to the Khashoggi family?” but they did not answer.
President Biden later said that at another press conference following the extended talks, he shared his views on human rights issues, including Khashoggi, “and made it clear that this topic is very important to the United States and to myself.”
He added that Biden pointed directly to the Khashoggi assassination, adding that he “communicated clearly what he thought of the incident and what he thinks now.”
Regarding the meeting with Crown Prince bin Salman, which has been raised since his visit to Israel, Biden said earlier, “I have always talked regarding human rights issues. No matter where we are, we will not be able to be together.”
Meanwhile, when Biden arrived at Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Airport, it was reported that he was greeted by Mecca governor Khalid Alfaisal, a lower rank than the king or crown prince.
When former President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia in 2017, King al-Saud greeted him in person.
Jo Se Ilbo / Reporter Hwang Joo-young flylikekite94@joseilbo.com
