Diplomatic encounters: Blinken and Bin Salman discuss regional issues in Jeddah

The meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman lasted for about an hour and 40 minutes at the Royal Palace in Jeddah. 

Were these 100 minutes sufficient for Blinken to address the disputes between Washington and the Kingdom?

According to a US official quoted by the Agence France Press, the US Secretary of State and the Saudi Crown Prince held open and candid discussions covering various regional and bilateral issues and several files. 

The possibility of normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel was discussed in the bilateral meeting, and the two parties agreed to continue the dialogue in this regard.

According to the US official, the discussions also touched upon the ongoing war in Sudan, where the United States and Saudi Arabia, leading a joint mediation effort, have failed to compel the conflicting parties to abide by the ceasefires they agreed upon, as they often violate them.

During the meeting, Blinken also raised the issue of human rights, and it became apparent that there are points of convergence alongside areas of disagreement, according to the US official.

On the other hand, the spokesperson of the US Department of State, Matthew Miller, said in a statement that Blinken and bin Salman affirmed their commitment to stability, security, and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond, including the resolution of the war in Yemen.

From Jeddah, Blinken will head to Riyadh, where he will participate in a meeting of foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. 

He will co-chair a meeting in Riyadh with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State.