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June 3, 2009

Obama Begins Mideast Visit in Saudi Arabia
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=24932C1:A6F02AD83191E16085DFB3D554891B0D2E7CA1C1B166B639&
 
US president receives red carpet welcome in Riyadh and immediate
audience with King Abdullah 
President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with Saudi King Abdullah bin
Abdul Aziz al-Saud after being presented with Order of Merit during
bilateral meeting at king's ranch in al-Janadriya, 03 Jun 2009U.S.
President Barack Obama is in Riyadh for talks with Saudi King Abdullah.
They are meeting on the eve of the president's much anticipated address
to the world's Muslims. President Obama got a red carpet welcome in
Riyadh, complete with a military honor guard, and an immediate audience
with the King. They will conduct most of their talks in private at the
King's farm, where Mr. Obama will spend the night before traveling on to
Cairo. White House officials say they will talk about prospects to end
decades of Arab-Israeli conflict. They will also discuss Iran's nuclear
ambitions, as well as the impact rising oil prices are having on the
world economy. The talks are a prelude to what may well be one of the
most important speeches of Mr. Obama's young presidency. In his address
Thursday at Cairo University he will try ease decades of tensions
between Muslims and the United States, tensions heightened by the war in
Iraq, and a lack of progress in the Middle East peace process.  


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