Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah meets with former US President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in New York late Friday.January 8, 2011
NEW YORK: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held talks here Friday with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on major regional and international issues, the Saudi Press Agency said.
Intelligence chief Prince Muqrin and National Security Council Secretary General Prince Bandar bin Sultan attended the talks.
The US secretary of state was accompanied by husband Bill Clinton, SPA said, adding that the talks were also attended by Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, state minister and commander of the National Guard.
King Abdullah is now convalescing in New York following a successful back surgery at a US hospital. The Clintons congratulated the king on the success of the surgery and wished him good health. He left the New York Presbyterian Hospital on Dec. 21.
Clinton had earlier met with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and reaffirmed strong US support for Lebanon's independence and for the work of the UN-backed tribunal that is investigating the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father, Rafik.
No details of the talks between Secretary Clinton and King Abdullah were given, but State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said before the meeting: "Certainly, she will emphasize to the king, as well as to the prime minister, our support of the democratic government in Lebanon, as well as our ongoing support for the special tribunal."
Lebanon's prime minister has said several times he will not give into pressure from Hezbollah to end support for the tribunal. The United States has repeatedly underlined its commitment to Hariri's government and to the tribunal.
Saudi Arabia and Syria have been trying to mediate an end to tensions between Hariri's government and Hezbollah over the tribunal.
ArabNews.com
