Kerry Seeks To Bridge Gaps With Saudis, Pledges Stout US Defense Of Arab Friends From Attack
By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, November 3, 4:24 PM
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry moved Sunday to reassure America’s Arab friends that the United States will not allow them to be attacked “from outside,” in an apparent warning to Iran.
Speaking in Egypt while en route to Saudi Arabia where he hopes to mend relations strained by Saudi unhappiness with U.S. actions in Syria, its tentative warming with Iran and stance on Egypt, Kerry acknowledged differences with some partners but stressed they shared common goals in each case.
In addition, he said Saudi Arabia and other U.S. allies in the Gulf could count on America’s support.
“The United States will be there for the defense of our friends and our allies,” Kerry told reporters in Cairo. “We will not allow those countries to be attacked from outside. We will stand with them.”
He specifically mentioned the Sunni majority states of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt as nations, along with unspecified “others.” Those others likely would include Israel, the strongest U.S. ally in the region. All have vested interests in seeing an end to the turmoil in Syria and are extremely wary of Shiite Iran’s regional intentions.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/kerry-says-us-will-not-allow-attacks-on-mideast-friends-says-differences-on-syria-minor/2013/11/03/f2911e7a-4491-11e3-95a9-3f15b5618ba8_story.html
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