U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Aziz Al Saud on June 29 for discussing bilateral relations and regional security concerns, said the White House on Sunday.
“The President looks forward to discussing with King Abdullah the strengthening of bilateral ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia as well as a range of common concerns related to Gulf Security, peace in the Middle East, and other regional and global matters,” said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs in a statement.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have long-standing economic and defense ties since the two set up a full diplomatic relationship in 1933. But the U.S.-Saudi relationship were strained after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, which claimed some 3,000 lives. Reports showed that 15 of the 19 attackers were Saudi nationals.