The meeting between King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and US President Barack Obama reaffirms the strong, historic ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, the White House said in a statement. The leaders stated their strong support for the efforts of the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) with regard to Iran's nuclear program and urged Iran to meet its international obligations under UN Security Council and IAEA resolutions, the statement said. They expressed their hope that proximity talks between Israelis and Palestinians will lead to the resumption of direct talks with the aim of two states living side-by-side in peace and security. King Abdullah and President Obama also discussed the importance of resuming the Israeli-Syrian and the Israeli-Lebanese negotiations to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The President welcomed King Abdullah's continued leadership in support of the Arab Peace Initiative, the statement added. The leaders also discussed international efforts to assist Afghanistan, their support for the Lebanese government as it seeks to preserve its sovereignty, the importance of a secure and prosperous Yemen, the need for an inclusive government-formation process in Iraq and the expansion of productive ties between a unified, sovereign Iraq and its neighbors, the statement said. Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of efforts to prevent violent extremism. Obama welcomed Saudi Arabia's successful counterterrorism actions against Al-Qaeda, including the positions taken by the Kingdom's highest religious body to prohibit terrorism and its financing, the statement said. President Obama also expressed his support for King Abdullah's initiative to promote dialogue among religions and cultures. President Obama reiterated to the King that he was committed to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities, the statement added. The leaders also consulted on the results of the G20 summit and discussed the global economy. They welcomed the continuing expansion of economic, scientific, business, and educational ties, including the historically high numbers of Saudi students in the United States, the statement said.
