OPEN LETTER/ Come to the dialogue and listen to me speak, otherwise I will cut off your scholarships, you will rot in prison. Please!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

Will the alliance be broken? Biden warns of consequences for Saudi Arabia after the OPEC+ decision

2022-10-12 21:39:19Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA ASSOCIATED PRESS
Will the alliance be broken? Biden warns of consequences for Saudi Arabia after
US President Joe Biden with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

President Joe Biden warned of consequences for Saudi Arabia, while his administration has begun re-evaluating US relations with the Saudi kingdom, and Democrats have called for a freeze on cooperation with this country.

The statement comes after the OPEC+ alliance, led by Riyadh, announced that it will cut oil production. President Biden said in an interview with the CNN network on Tuesday that he is considering measures against the Saudis, but declined to give details about them.

Production cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are expected to help Russia boost revenues as it continues its nearly eight-month war in Ukraine.

Connecticut Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal and California Republican Ro Khanna have introduced a bill that would immediately halt US arms sales to Saudi Arabia for a year. This measure would also include the ban on sales of spare or repair parts.

However, it remains unclear how far President Biden will go to express his displeasure with Saudi Arabia, an important but complicated ally in the Middle East.

President Biden said in the interview that he would consult with Congress on the way forward, but declined to comment on the Democrats' proposal to ban gun sales.

"There will be consequences for what they have done with Russia. I will not go into detail about what I have in mind. But there will be consequences," said the president.

US national security spokesman John Kirby said President Biden believes "it's time to repair the relationship and make sure it serves national security interests."

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that the White House has no timeline for reviewing the measures and that the president has not appointed a special adviser on the matter.

However, officials underscore Saudi Arabia's role in Middle East security.

OPEC+, which includes Russia and Saudi Arabia, announced last week that it will cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day less, which will affect the maintenance of oil prices, financially helping Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continues from 8 months of war in Ukraine.

The production cut also hurts US-led efforts to make war on Russia unaffordable, threatens a world economy already destabilized by the Ukraine conflict and risks President Biden and Democrats facing energy price hikes ahead the November elections for Congress.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said that the government's decision to cut production is "purely economic".

Mr. Biden and the European leaders have requested an increase in oil production in order to reduce the price, but also to punish Moscow for its aggression in Ukraine.

Senator Blumenthal said the US "cannot continue to sell high-tech weapons to a country associated with a despicable terrorist adversary."

Still, the White House considers its arms sales to Riyadh to serve, in part, as an important counterweight in the region to Iran, which is moving rapidly toward its goal of becoming a nuclear power.

But the pressure is great for Mr. Biden. While running for the White House, he promised that under his leadership, Saudi leaders would pay for the 2018 killing of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Kingdom.

After the fuel price increase in July, Mr. Biden decided to visit Saudi Arabia. During the visit, he met with the prince of the Saudi Kingdom, whom he had long accused of being responsible for Khashoggi's murder. American intelligence had concluded that the Crown Prince had approved the murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul. The Crown Prince himself has denied any involvement.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×