RIYADH (Reuters) – The Saudi crown prince and president of the United Arab Emirates met on Friday, state media reported, as the two Gulf states worked to overcome their differences amid a conflict between Israel and Hamas that threatens to engulf the Middle East.
Saudi state news agency SPA showed footage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, receiving UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Riyadh’s airport.
Public meetings between the crown prince and Sheikh Mohammed have been rare in recent years as the close allies competed for investment and regional influence.
Sheikh Mohammed attended a summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Riyadh on Friday, Saudi and UAE state media said.
GCC and ASEAN countries called for a durable ceasefire, the immediate release of civilian hostages and detainees, and a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a joint statement, published after the summit, said.
Gulf states worry Iran could be drawn into a conflict that would affect their national security and have been pressing Western allies and Israel to de-escalate tensions in Gaza and lift a siege on the strip.
Last year, Prince Mohammed and Sheikh Mohammed met when Prince Mohammed visited Abu Dhabi to offer his condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa, the UAE’s previous president. Sheikh Mohammed also visited Jeddah last year, and the two leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in November.
(Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
