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Wednesday 21 March 2018

Saudi crown prince soaks in Trump's praise as US tour opens

By JOSH LEDERMAN areas of easy agreement:
WASHINGTON (AP) — At Saudi investments in the
32 years old, Saudi Crown U.S., American arm sales
Prince Mohammed bin to the kingdom and sharp
Salman controls a vast for- criticism of mutual foe Iran.
tune, a well-heeled military Trump sounded an ominous
and the future of a nation in note as he looked ahead
the throes of sweeping eco- to a May decision about
nomic and social change. whether to stay in the Iran
His ambitious bid to remake nuclear deal, loathed by
Saudi Arabia received a both Trump and the Saudis.
ringing endorsement Tues- "We'll see what happens,"
day from President Donald Trump said. "Iran has not
Trump as the future leader been treating that part of
opened a marathon tour of the world, or the world it-
the United States. self, appropriately. A lot of
Soaking in Trump's plaudits bad things are happening
in the Oval Office, Prince in Iran." Prince Mohammed
Mohammed said little and dodged a shouted ques-
left most of the talking to tion on the Iran deal, but
his host, who offered an waxed optimistic about
optimistic forecast of lucra- prospects for closer eco-
tive U.S. arms sales to the nomic ties amid "new
kingdom and more Saudi President Donald Trump shows a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting waves of opportunities in
with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday,
investment in the United March 20, 2018, in Washington. different areas."
States. Thousands of Ameri- (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "The opportunities are very
can jobs will result, Trump huge," Prince Mohammed
said, even voicing approv- a mission during his three- paign in Yemen. Even as Trump and the crown said in English.
al for the crown prince's week U.S. visit to improve the crown prince joined prince looked past that While in Washington, the
"tremendous" move last the perception of his nation Trump for a meeting and and other points of friction crown prince is holding
year to push aside his old- in the eyes of Americans, working lunch, Congress as they dined together in separate meetings with a
er cousin to become first- who have viewed Saudi was discussing legislation the Cabinet room, flanked long roster of influential U.S.
in-line to his father King Arabia warily because of to scale back U.S. military by Vice President Mike officials, including the sec-
Salman's throne. its conservative social mo- support for a Saudi-led co- Pence, Trump son-in-law retaries of defense, treasury
"Your father made a very res, unequal treatment of alition in Yemen, with a pre- Jared Kushner and a bevy and commerce, the CIA
wise decision," Trump said. women and, more recent- liminary vote planned for of Cabinet secretaries. In- director and congressional
Prince Mohammed is on ly, deadly military cam- Tuesday afternoon. stead, they focused on leaders from both parties.q

Low-key US-S Korea military drills ahead of North Korea summits

By HYUNG-JIN KIM which saw rare coopera- cuss giving up his nuclear that of previous years. North ers during this spring's train-
ROBERT BURNS tive steps between the rival weapons on unspecified Korea has been notified of ing. The United States sent
Associated Press Koreas after months of con- terms, and Trump quickly the schedule "as well as the such assets during past drills
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — frontation over the North's agreed to meet Kim by the defensive nature" of the ex- when tensions ran high.
Annual U.S.-South Korean weapons programs. North end of May. Kim and South ercises, the Pentagon said. The exercises begin with
military drills that infuriate Korea considers the exer- Korean President Moon South Korea's Defense Min- Foal Eagle, a field training
North Korea will begin on cises an invasion rehearsal Jae-in are to meet sepa- istry released a near-identi- drill that will last about four
April 1, the allies said Tues- and often conducts weap- rately in late April. cal statement. weeks, compared with its
day, but they will likely be ons tests in protest. In a brief statement, the A ministry official, speaking typical two-month run. The
more low-key than past After post-Olympics talks Pentagon said Defense on condition of anonym- other drill, known as Key
years ahead of two high- with North Korean leader Secretary Jim Mattis and his ity because of department Resolve, is a computer-sim-
ly anticipated summits Kim Jong Un, South Korean South Korean counterpart, rules, said there are no im- ulated command post ex-
among the countries' lead- officials said Kim indicated Song Young-moo, agreed mediate plans to bring in ercise and is scheduled to
ers. he would accept the ma- to go forward with the two American strategic assets start around the middle of
This year's drills were post- neuvers. Kim also offered to sets of exercises, known such as aircraft carriers, nu- April for a usual two-week
poned during the Py- meet personally with Presi- as Foal Eagle and Key Re- clear-powered submarines run, the South Korean offi-
eongchang Olympics, dent Donald Trump to dis- solve, "at a scale similar to" or supersonic B-1B bomb- cial said.q