WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama yesterday held the first of a string of meetings focusing partly on Syria with key Middle Eastern allies, as he met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The president will also meet the leaders of Turkey, Qatar and Jordan in the coming weeks, as Syrian rebels renew their appeals for Washington to provide weapons and as President Bashar Al Assad battles for survival.
After the lunch in the White House, which did not include a press photo-op, the two sides issued a statement which offered broad descriptions of the topics they covered but gave few details.
“The President and the Crown Prince ... discussed a range of regional challenges, including the need for Iran to meet its international obligations with respect to its nuclear programme, the ongoing conflict in Syria, and countering the threat of violent extremism,” the statement said. AFP
