Saudi Crown Prince, Blinken Discuss Efforts to Stop Escalation in the Region

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince, Blinken Discuss Efforts to Stop Escalation in the Region

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meet in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, met in Riyadh on Wednesday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with whom he reviewed bilateral relations and cooperation.

Discussions covered the latest regional and international developments, particularly the situations in Gaza and Lebanon, and efforts to end military operations and address their security and humanitarian ramifications, SPA reported.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Blinken discussed their “common efforts to end the conflicts in the region and establish greater peace and security,” said a State Department statement.

Blinken emphasized “the need to end the war in Gaza, free the hostages, and enable the people of Gaza to rebuild their lives free from Hamas..

They discussed efforts toward “a diplomatic resolution in Lebanon that allows civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return to their homes.”

They continued discussions on the need to establish lasting regional stability, including through greater integration among countries in the region.  

They also tackled the importance of ending the conflict in Sudan, protecting civilians, and advancing a political transition to a civilian government. Blinken expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting stability and peace in the region.

Attending the meeting were Saudi Minister of State, Cabinet Member and National Security Adviser Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, and General Intelligence President Khalid bin Ali Al-Humaidan.

On the American side, US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney and Blinken’s accompanying delegation attended the meeting.



Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Azerbaijan after Plane Crash

A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Azerbaijan after Plane Crash

A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)

Saudi Arabia offered on Wednesday its condolences to Azerbaijan following the plane crash in Kazakhstan.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and to the government and people of Azerbaijan. It wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The Muslim World League (MWL) also extended its condolences to the government and people of Azerbaijan following the crash.

An Embraer passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people while 29 survivors received hospital treatment, Kazakh authorities said.

Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 had flown hundreds of miles off its scheduled route to crash on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea, after what Russia's aviation watchdog said was an emergency that may have been caused by a bird strike. But an aviation expert suggested that cause seemed unlikely.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said according to information he had received, the plane changed course due to poor weather, but he added the cause of the crash was unknown and must be fully investigated.