• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English
  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. MENA
  4. CIA Director Burns visited KSA in bid to repair relations
MENA

CIA Director Burns visited KSA in bid to repair relations

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 May 21:37

The Director of the CIA visited Saudi Arabia last month in a bid to re-establish relations with the kingdom.

  • CIA Director William Burns
    CIA Director William Burns

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that CIA Director William Burns visited Saudi Arabia on an unannounced trip, in an attempt to rebuild relations with the Kingdom.

Relations between the US and Saudi Arabia have been deteriorating since the beginning of the Biden administration. Biden had called Saudi Arabia a "pariah" state during his campaign and only decided to repair relations with the kingdom once the US had need for its oil amid the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

According to US and Saudi officials, Burns visited the city of Jeddah in mid-April to meet with the kingdom's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Read more: Blinken apologizes to UAE's Crown Prince: Axios

The WSJ report said that the conversation had a better tone than prior attempts by the Biden administration. 

The report also said that the Biden administration is looking for someone with a strong relationship with KSA that the Kingdom will listen to in future talks. Biden announced in April that he intends to nominate Michael Ratney, who has experience in West Asia, as an ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

The White House's Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk, had been a frequent visitor to Riyadh in recent months and had been attempting to repair a relationship that fell in disrepair after Biden's inauguration when he refused to speak with Mohammed bin Salman. 

One Western diplomat related that a Saudi counterpart of his said, “This is the end of the road for us and Biden, but maybe the US also.”

  • CIA Chief
  • Mohammed Bin Salman
  • KSA
  • CIA
  • William Burns
  • Saudi Arabia
  • MBS

Trending Now

All
The first day of the visit will be for bilateral talks (Reuters)

Biden to meet MBS in Saudi Arabia mid July

Most Read

The littoral combat ship sails in the Pacific.

New alliance formed in the Pacific orchestrated by the US

  • Asia Pacific
  • 25 Jun
The wind blows eastwards, the Saudis know it

The wind blows eastwards, the Saudis know it

  • Analysis
  • 26 Jun
The Bear just defends itself (PART I)

The Bear just defends itself (Part I)

  • Blog
  • 25 Jun
133 successful crossers resort to local migrant centers where authorities would evaluate their circumstances

18 Africans migrants killed while crossing into Spain's Melilla

  • Africa
  • 25 Jun

Read this

All
Marandi for Al-Mayadeen: Doha talks didn't fail, will continue
MENA

Marandi to Al Mayadeen: Doha talks didn't fail, will continue

  • 30 Jun
Glasgow claims UK first in planned return of Indian artifacts
Europe

Glasgow to return plundered Indian artifacts; a first in UK history

  • 29 Jun
US FCC chief urges Apple and Google to remove TikTok from app stores.
US & Canada

US FCC chief urges Apple, Google to remove TikTok from app stores

  • 29 Jun
Bennett will not run in the upcoming Knesset elections
Palestine

Bennett will not run in upcoming Knesset elections

  • 29 Jun
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS