The United States and Saudi Arabia are close to a final agreement on a bilateral defense pact after the U.S. national security adviser made significant progress in talks with the Saudis over the weekend, the White House said on Monday. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the two sides are “closer than we’ve ever been” on a bilateral agreement that is now “near final.”
Quick Read
- US-Saudi Defense Pact Nearing Completion: The United States and Saudi Arabia are reportedly close to finalizing a bilateral defense pact. Significant progress was made during discussions between U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Saudi officials over the weekend.
- Details of the Proposed Agreement: The proposed defense pact could include formal U.S. guarantees to defend Saudi Arabia and provisions for Saudi Arabia to access more advanced U.S. weaponry. In return, Saudi Arabia would agree to stop purchasing arms from China and limit Chinese investments in the country.
- Advanced Weaponry Discussions: Negotiations have included the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, though the deal is not yet guaranteed. This inclusion is significant as Riyadh has shown interest in acquiring these advanced jets for years.
- Compliance with Regional Security Norms: Any arms sales under the new agreement must comply with the U.S. commitment to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region. The deal is also subject to review by relevant U.S. congressional committees, which could potentially block weapon sales.
- Broader Implications and Additional Negotiations: The agreement is part of broader discussions that could lead to normalized relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. However, the timing and specifics of these developments remain uncertain, particularly with ongoing conflicts in the region such as the war in Gaza.
- Technological Cooperation: The pact might also include cooperation in emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
The Associated Press has the story:
US and Saudis are close to deal on defense pact, White House says
Newslooks- WASHINGTON,(AP)
The United States and Saudi Arabia are close to a final agreement on a bilateral defense pact after the U.S. national security adviser made significant progress in talks with the Saudis over the weekend, the White House said on Monday.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the two sides are “closer than we’ve ever been” on a bilateral agreement that is now “near final.”
U.S. and Saudi negotiators are seeking to complete work on a bilateral accord expected to call for formal U.S. guarantees to defend the kingdom as well as Saudi access to more advanced U.S. weaponry, in return for halting Chinese arms purchases and restricting Beijing’s investment in the country.
Negotiators have been discussing U.S. sales of F-35 fighter jets and other weapons to the Saudis as part of the deal, a U.S. official said.
The potential sale of the F-35s to the Saudis was not guaranteed for a variety of reasons, but its inclusion in the discussions was significant because Riyadh has desired the stealthy fighter jet for years. Any deal must satisfy a longstanding agreement with Israel that U.S. weapons sold in the region must not impair Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” guaranteeing U.S. weapons furnished to Israel are “superior in capability” to those sold to its neighbors.
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committees, whose members have criticized the kingdom’s role in civilian deaths in Yemen, have the right to review, and block, weapons sales under an informal review process. Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) which makes the jet, referred a request for comment to the government.
The defense pact would be short of a NATO-style agreement, the official said.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Saudi officials over the weekend where progress was made, Kirby said.
A second U.S. official said, “We are very close to an understanding on the major elements between us.”
“We of course will also have to then work on pieces that relate to the Israelis and Palestinians, which is a critical component of any potential normalization deal,” the official said.
The U.S.-Saudi security accord is also expected to involve sharing emerging technologies with Riyadh, including artificial intelligence.
Once the deal is completed, it would be part of a broad deal presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to decide whether to make concessions to secure a deal normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.
Kirby said the timing of a U.S.-Saudi deal was unclear. He said an ultimate objective for Biden is a Palestinian state, but with Israel at war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, no deal on a state is likely any time soon.
“Of course, the president remains committed to a two-state solution. He recognizes that you know, that’s not something we’re going to see any anytime in the future,” he said.
