Saudi Arabia now sees Russia as a partner While Saudi Arabia's relationship with its traditional ally America has weakened under Obama, they are now looking for more serious players on the world stage AlexeiNaumov, 19/06/2015 00:01:00, Nezavisimaya Gazeta St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is remarkable not only for its economic but also for its political results. One of the largest delegations, came a prince of the country of Saudi Arabia, Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Not only said his country will invest billions into the Russian economy, but moreover, during the meeting with Putin, they discussed coordination on a number of critical policy issues. Experts believe that the negotiations may be a prelude to full-fledged strategic relations between the two powers. "I can imagine that there will be discussed issues related to the situation in the Middle East - Yemen, Syria, fighting with the group" Islamic State ". Questions establishing closer economic cooperation, including in the energy sphere, "- even before the close of the meeting said the president's aide Yuri Ushakov, emphasizing the great importance of the event. Russia attaches great importance to the visit for several reasons, the first of which - the need to find powerful external partners in view of the crisis with the West. "If the political leadership at the highest level comes to discuss the agenda of cooperation and possible investments, it is a demonstration that we are not interested in the hypothetical, and we are very interested rather in terms of specific projects, specific investments," - said in an interview with Tass, the chairman of the Foundation "St. Petersburg International Economic Forum" Sergei Belyakov. The second reason is the cooling of relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States. The administration of Washington's President Barack Obama in favor of an agreement on the nuclear program of Tehran, while the Saudis see it as a direct threat to their interests. The crisis in relations between the two countries has reminded the analysts of the rapid cooling that occurred in 1973, when the Saudis introduced an oil embargo against Washington because of its support of Israel. But it is not only Russia that is in search of alliances, but also Saudi Arabia. This is the leading and most powerful Sunni state in the region, which has not only tremendous political and spiritual influence over the Muslim world, but also is the country that controls the policy of OPEC (Organization of the countries - Petroleum Exporting Countries). Currently, its authorities are seriously afraid of the increasing influence of Shiite Iran. And while their relationship with their traditional American ally weakened under Obama, the Saudis are looking for more serious players on the world stage. And not just political one: in the recently held in Russia forum "Army 2015" Kingdom delegation expressed interest in buying from Russia, tactical missile systems "Iskander" so that Saudi Arabia, too, can be used to project power through the world's most advanced ballistic missile system. Also on the table are a wide-range of nuclear co-operation and development. Situation of Saudi Arabia in the region highly complicated: a coalition of Arab states led by Saudi also causes air strikes on insurgents housitam in Yemen, who are accused of accountability to Tehran. The positions of the Kingdom and the Russian Federation on the issue of Syria diverge - the position of Moscow supports keeping President Bashar al-Assad, while Riyadh supports removing it - but this meeting could lead to a softening in Saudi Arabia's stance. "Yesterday's talks - an indicator that all participants are aware of the game of the Middle East and need to find common ground," - commented on the great importance of the meeting in a conversation with "Nezavisimaya Gazeta", Ambassador, member of the Russian Council on International Affairs Alexander Aksenenok. According to the diplomat, mutual understanding is necessary and Syria, and Yemen, and a number of other issues. He noted that the evidence of the multilateral process of establishing an understanding between the parties is the recent visit to Riyadh, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahiyan. However Aksenenok believes that bilateral Russian-Saudi relations it would be a chance to correct misunderstandings and to find common interests, even though high-sounding phrases and bravado speech is premature. If we talk about the fact that Saudi Arabia may give Russia, in addition to investment projects and arms deals profitable for Moscow, would be a softening in Saudi Arabia's own hardline stance on Syria, and help in maintaining regional stability and co-operation. "Be careful, you can talk about a return to the strategic cooperation in the framework of Russia continuing to extend its sphere of influence over both sides of the Gulf region", - concluded Aksenenok. --- --- --- ---

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Saudi Arabia may come under Russia's sphere of influence

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