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President Obama is greeted by new Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz on Jan. 27.(Photo: Carolyn Kaster, AP)
WASHINGTON — President Obama spoke with Saudi Arabian King Salman on Monday, a day after the new monarch pulled out of a summit featuring Persian Gulf allies who are nervous about developments in Iran.
The two discussed this week's meetings between Obama and the Gulf Cooperation Council, including the need "to build a collective capacity to address more effectively the range of threats facing the region and to resolve regional conflicts," said a White House statement.
Only two of the six nations that make up the council are sending their top leaders: Kuwait and Qatar.
The other invited nations — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates — are sending high-ranking deputies to the meeting called in response to concerns about the proposed nuclear deal involving the United States and Iran. Some Arab nations are worried about what they call Iranian aggression in the Middle East.
Obama administration officials said summit participants are sending the officials most involved in the regional defense and counterterrorism issues on the agenda for meetings Wednesday and Thursday.
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"We're very pleased and feel like we have the exact right people around the table to have this discussion," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communication.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir dismissed reports that Salman snubbed the summit, calling the idea "really off-base."
The foreign minister said his country's relationship with the United States remains solid. "We have no doubt whatsoever about America's commitment to the security of Saudi Arabia," he said.
In its statement, the White House said that the king made the call to Obama, and expressed his regret at not attending the summit. The two leaders also discussed the proposed Iran nuclear agreement and the conflict in Yemen, the White House said.
Obama and the Persian Gulf officials are likely to discuss the prospects of increased U.S. arms sales, a regional missile defense system, and intelligence gathering to combat rising terrorist threats, including cyber terrorism.
Other likely topics include the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the civil war in Syria, and Yemen.
It is "a critical moment in the history of the Middle East," Rhodes said.
Saudi Arabia cited Yemen as a reason King Salman, 79, would not attend the summit. He will be represented instead by the crown prince, Muhammad bin Nayef.
In a statement, the Saudi government said the summit coincides with a cease-fire in the battle between a Saudi-led coalition and rebel forces it says are backed by Iran.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the king's absence reflects "a lack of confidence" in the Obama administration, especially in light of its talks with Iran.
"This administration feels that they can somehow make agreements with Iran throughout the region when these countries view Iran as a direct threat," McCain said on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports.
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Obama will meet with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council at a White House dinner Wednesday evening. They will continue discussions Thursday at Camp David.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said officials are confident they will meet with "the right people ... to deepen and modernize the important security relationship" between the United States and Persian Gulf allies.
"The countries who are participating in the meeting have obviously made decisions about who they believe is best positioned to represent their countries at the meeting," Earnest said.
Earnest noted that one attendee — the crown price of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayid — is the UAE's deputy military commander. That makes him the principal point of contact for the kinds of mutual defense issues to be discussed this week, he said.
Obama is likely to defend the proposed Iranian nuclear deal during his meeting with Arab allies.
The United States, allies and Iran are working on the final details of an agreement in which the allies would lift sanctions on Iran if it agrees to give up the means to make nuclear weapons.
Some Persian Gulf nations are skeptical Iran would adhere to such an agreement. Obama says diplomacy is the best way to ensure Tehran doesn't get nuclear weapons.
Contributing: Jim Michaels
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