Defense Secretary Gates arrives in Saudi Arabia for meeting with King Abdullah

Washington Post
By Craig Timberg, Wednesday, April , 5:55 AM

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for a meeting with King Abdullah, opening his third trip to the tumultuous region in the past month.



Gates planned to report to Abdullah on the progress of a $60 billion arms deal with the Saudis and discuss plans for upgrading the nation’s missile defense system, U.S. officials said. Saudi Arabia is the largest buyer of U.S. arms. Iran, which officials say is seeking to exploit the political upheaval in the Arab world, was on the agenda for the visit as well.



Some U.S. officials have bristled at the aggressive role of the Saudi military in last month’s crackdown in neighboring Bahrain. But a senior defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Wednesday that the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia remained strong.



The Saudis sent troops into Bahrain to bolster its monarchy shortly before Bahrain forcefully cleared pro-democracy demonstrators from a central square in the capital of Manama. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and is regarded as a strategically important bulwark against Iranian power in the region.



On Wednesday’s visit, Gates planned to urge reforms and respect for human rights in Saudi Arabia. The defense official said the U.S. needed to take a “pragmatic approach” in dealing with such a close ally.



“They’re going to have to find their own path,” the official said.



Gates started his trip by meeting with assistant defense minister Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz. He was to meet with Abdullah later in Wednesday.



Gates made two visits to the region last month, stopping in Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Bahrain. Gates emerged from his visit in Bahrain expressing optimism that the government there would take a cautious approach in handling pro-democracy demonstrations, but the Saudi troops entered the nation days later, and the violent crackdown followed soon after.



Gates was also supposed to visit Saudi Arabia last month, but that visit was cancelled because of what U.S. officials said was King Abdullah’s ill health. He has since improved, officials said.