White House: Obama to participate in GCC summit in Riyadh

US President Barack Obama will participate in the Gulf Cooperation Council summit during his visit to Saudi Arabia on 21 April, the White House said yesterday.

The White House said Obama will visit Britain, Saudi Arabia and Germany next month.

The announcement comes a day after controversial remarks released by the US president where he said: “It is not in the United States’ interest to continue to adhere to Washington foreign policy by providing automatic support for Saudis and their allies.”

“At the time, Iran was the enemy of the United States of America since 1979,” Obama said, explaining that “the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia has led to proxy wars and chaos; from Syria to Iraq and Yemen.”

Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence chief and ambassador to Washington Turki Al-Faisal responded to the president’s remarks saying: “The US’s benefit was and still is larger than the kingdom’s benefit and not vice versa.”