Statement by National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan on President Obama's Meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdalaziz Al Saud

Today, President Obama met in the Oval Office with Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdalaziz Al Saud, the Saudi Minister of Interior, to discuss countering terrorist threats and consult on regional security issues. Praising Saudi Arabia’s contributions to the global coalition to counter ISIL, the President noted the importance of working together to undermine and delegitimize ISIL's extremist ideology. The President expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s important role in upholding regional peace and security, as well as the Kingdom’s humanitarian support for displaced persons from the conflicts in Iraq and Syria and the Kingdom’s contributions to the international response to the Ebola epidemic. They also discussed regional issues associated with Iran and the need to find a political settlement to the Syria conflict.

On Yemen, the President and Prince Mohammed discussed the way forward following senior-level bilateral consultations on support to Yemen at the White House on December 10, co-chaired by Prince Mohammed and Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. The President and Prince Mohammed reaffirmed the importance of sustaining mutual cooperation to counter the shared threat from al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula and of supporting President Hadi, Prime Minister Bahah, and Yemen's new legitimate government as they work to bring stability through implementation of the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative, the National Dialogue, and the Peace and National Partnership Agreement. The President asked Prince Mohammed to convey his best wishes to King Abdullah bin Abdalaziz Al Saud.