White House says expects Biden call with Saudi king 'very soon'

Reuters , Thursday 25 Feb 2021

Psaki told reporters "there are a range of actions that are on the table" regarding Saudi Arabia

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
File Photo: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki holds the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, US January 22, 2021 (Reuters)

US President Joe Biden's phone call with Saudi Arabia's King Salman should take place "very soon," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Thursday.

Biden's call with the king is expected to coincide with the release of a US intelligence report on the killing in October 2018 of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Psaki told reporters "there are a range of actions that are on the table" regarding Saudi Arabia as part of a shift in tone in the US-Saudi relationship after the cozy ties between US President Donald Trump's White House and Riyadh.

"Our administration is focused on recalibrating the relationship," Psaki said. "And certainly there are areas where we will express concerns and leave open the option of accountability. There are also areas where we will continue to work with Saudi Arabia given the threats they face in the region."

* This Story was edited by Ahram Online

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