DEPUTY Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, is to hold talks with US President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday, Saudi sources were cited by Al Arabiya English as saying Thursday. President Obama rates Prince Muhamamd very highly and here is what he had to say previously about the young royal. In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya News Channel's Washington bureau chief Nadia Bilbassy-Charters, Obama described Prince Muhammad as "extremely knowledgeable, very smart" and "wise beyond his years." Friday's meeting between Prince Muhammad and President Obama will be closed to journalists, Al Arabiya English said. High-level meetings Prince Muhammad met with Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker in Washington on Wednesday. During the meeting, they discussed developing commercial relations between the two countries. The Deputy Crown Prince also met the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan. During the meeting, they discussed developing cooperation between the two countries in a number of common areas and issues of mutual interest. He also held a number of bilateral meetings with heads and members of various committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Ash Carter is set to host an enhanced honor cordon to welcome Prince Muhammad to the Pentagon. [caption id="attachment_63010" align="alignright" width="300"] Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, with Paul Ryan, speaker of the US House of Representatives.[/caption]According to a statement released by the US Department of Defense, "following the arrival ceremony, the secretary will host the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince for a bilateral meeting on security issues of mutual concern." On Monday, he met with US Secretary of State John Kerry in his home in Washington. The State Department said that the two shared an iftar dinner – a meal that marks the end of the day's fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan – and "reviewed the strong and enduring relationship" between their countries. Kerry and Prince Muhammad also "discussed a broad range of regional issues, including Yemen, Syria, Libya, and countering terrorism." Saudi's plan to reform its economy, unveiled in April, was also discussed. The two also talked about the deadly Orlando shootings on Sunday, and "expressed their shared commitment to continue their cooperation in combating the spread of violent extremism, both regionally and internationally," a State Department spokesman said. Saudi-US ties hailed Republican senator from the state of Arkansas Tom Cotton stressed the depth of cooperation and close partnership between the United States and the Kingdom in various fields. In a statement issued after the visit of Prince Muhammad to the Congress, the senator said, "I appreciate the fruitful and frank exchange of views with the Deputy Crown Prince, which reflects the close and long-term partnership between our two countries. Our main focus was on mutual security interests, including counterterrorism efforts against Al-Qaeda and Daesh (the so-called IS) and the threat posed by Iranian aggression in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and the Middle East." He added, "We also discussed economic issues, including the Vision 2030, a promising initiative by the deputy crown prince that will lead to diversification and development of the Saudi economy in the 21st century and in the coming years." Senator Cotton stressed that the common interests of the two countries will continue to face previous challenges and seize new opportunities, looking forward to working with the deputy crown prince to achieve the common interests of the two countries, and build a world of peace and prosperity. Opportunity for constructive talks Joseph W. Westphal, US ambassador to the Kingdom, considers Deputy Crown Prince's visit to the US as an important opportunity to continue the constructive bilateral talks between the two countries on issues of common interest, including fight against terrorism, economic cooperation and regional security issues. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency, he said: "Bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the US, which extend to more than 80 years, stress the importance of continuing to work together to address various bilateral and regional issues, along with working to strengthen cooperation in the fields of defense, counter-terrorism, trade, education, science, technology, agriculture and many other areas." Ambassador Westphal noted that the United States values its partnership with the Kingdom. "We look forward to get more details on Vision 2030, and the national transformation program 2020 aimed at diversifying the Kingdom's economy and meet the aspirations of its people." The Deputy Crown Prince is leading a large delegation on this visit, which includes ministers of energy, foreign affairs, information and trade, along with military commanders. After Washington, the visit is also expected to include stops in New York and California.
