Saudis optimistic about relations with US under Trump

BAD NEUENAHR, Germany — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister says his country expects to have a productive relationship with the Trump administration and is optimistic that US-Saudi cooperation can overcome challenges in the Middle East.

Adel al-Jubeir makes the comments on Thursday at the top of a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is on his first overseas trip as America’s top diplomat. Jubeir says Saudi Arabia is looking forward to working with the US on numerous issues.

He does not elaborate but Saudi Arabia has deep concerns about Iran’s increasing assertiveness in the region and he and Tillerson are to attend larger meetings on the crises in Yemen and Syria on the sidelines of a gathering of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 world powers in nearby Bonn.

Tillerson makes no substantive remarks in the presence of reporters, limiting his comments to polite chatter about his past business travel experience as CEO of Exxon Mobil.

— AP