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Transcript/ScriptUS-Saudi Arabia
HEADLINE: US Says Ties with Saudi Arabia on ‘Steady Footing’
TEASER: Experts says ending the war in Yemen and the need to lower oil prices are motivating President Joe Biden to ‘recalibrate’ US ties with Saudi Arabia
PUBLISHED AT: 06/06/2022 at 7:58 pm
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER: Mary Cislak
SCRIPT EDITORS: Bowman, Mia Bush
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Saine Zoom interviews, AP, AFP, Reuters, MRT State
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV __ RADIO __
TRT: 3:25
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: Please note Zoom courtesy))
((INTRO: ))
[[President Joe Biden has confirmed he is considering a trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel and other countries in the Middle East, with sources saying the visit would not likely happen until next month at the earliest. Analysts say efforts to end the war in Yemen and to bring down global oil prices would likely be central topics. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Washington.]]
((Video: AFP V000_32BU6PV, Biden B-roll and Biden SOT: Tracking shot US president Joe Biden arrives, 6 Soundbite 3))
((NARRATOR))
President Joe Biden surprised some observers Friday, saying that the White House is working on a trip to the Middle East that would likely include stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia.
((President Joe Biden))
“Let me tell you I have been engaged in trying to work with how we can bring more stability and peace in the Middle East. And there is a possibility that I would be going to meet with both the Israelis and some Arab countries at the time, including, I expect would be Saudi Arabia, if I did go, but I have no direct plans at the moment."
((Video: Saine In Progresss: Trump in Saudi Arabia))
Experts tell VOA that American presidents have kept close relationships with the oil-rich Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for decades, but Biden has been unusually outspoken in his criticism of human rights violations, especially those committed by the country’s crown prince.
((Video: Bruce Riedel SOT in Frame, “Bruce Riedel-video”: https://app.frame.io/player/e6c9b674-962e-44ec-9c56-1ac014a2501c TC:
00:00:31 - 00:01:08))
((Radio Intro: Bruce Riedel is with the Brookings Institution. He spoke to VOA via Zoom))
((Bruce Riedel, Brookings Institution)) ((Zoom Courtesy))
“I think the surprise people feel is Joe Biden as a candidate was very hard on Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, better known as MBS, for his role in
masterminding the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey, several years ago. At that time, Joe Biden said that he would treat Saudi Arabia as a pariah.”
((Video: Khashoggi video in Saine In Progress))
((NARRATOR))
U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded the crown prince had a role in orchestrating the murder and dismemberment of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist. Bin Salman denies any responsibility.
((MRT State Dept Ned Price entrance B-roll over to Price SOT))
Asked about the state of bilateral ties now, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said there has been considerable progress over the past 16 months, citing the humanitarian truce in Yemen.
((Ned Price, State Department Spokesperson))
“It’s a relationship that is now on steady footing. It is a relationship that allows us to advance, to protect, to promote our interests, just as we have continued to put values, values that we share with countries around the world at front and center in that.”
((Video: B-roll of Yemen in Saine In Progress))
Riedel says ending the war, the suffering and the starvation in Yemen is a crucial priority for President Biden.
((Video: Bruce Riedel SOT in Frame, “Bruce Riedel-video”: https://app.frame.io/player/e6c9b674-962e-44ec-9c56-1ac014a2501c TC: 00:02:40 - 00:03:44))
((Bruce Riedel, Brookings Institution)) ((Zoom Courtesy))
“Nothing could be more important in our dealings with Saudi Arabia than continuing this process towards a political solution and ending the war. Literally, the president can save tens of thousands of lives if he can keep this truce going and move it even further towards a political resolution of the conflict.”
((Video: Americans at gas stations filling up their cars – Saine In Progress))
((NARRATOR))
Anxiety at home over soaring gas prices is also a big motivator for Biden to “recalibrate” ties with Saudi Arabia, another expert says.
((Video: Jonathan Katz SOT in Frame TC: https://app.frame.io/player/99fa7a43-f8ed-43be-9f4e-b134520bfa60 TC: 00:01:06 - 00:02:07))
((Radio Intro: Jonathan Katz is with the German Marshall Fund. He spoke to VOA via Zoom.))
((Jonathan Katz, German Marshall Fund)) ((Zoom Courtesy))
“And so, the president will certainly be focused on going there to talk about output and Saudi Arabia increasing its output to meet global demands at a time when you see a high price for a barrel of oil.”
((NARRATOR))
((Video: Saudi Arabia oil production in Saine In Progress, over to Moscow Red Square-Kremlin B-roll))
Experts says not even Saudi Arabia can bring down oil prices on its own, with Russian oil exports decreasing as European countries are cutting their purchases from Moscow.
((Cindy Saine, VOA News, Washington
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington D.C.
Embargo DateJune 6, 2022 17:14 EDT
Byline((Cindy Saine, VOA News, Washington))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
