ISLAMABAD, Oct 12 (Diplomatic Star): The US President Joe Biden is reassessing relations with Saudi Arabia after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced a cut in oil production last week.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said in an interview with “CNN” that I think the president clearly understands that such a relationship should be re-evaluated, Foreign media reported.
He said that certainly in the light of the decision of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), I think he would like to do so.
It should be noted that OPEC is an international organization of petroleum product exporting countries.
John Kirby added that President Joe Biden is willing to work with Congress on future relations with Saudi Arabia.
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez called for a freeze on relations with Saudi Arabia, including arms sales, after OPEC announced a cut in oil production. accused of aiding Russia in its war in Ukraine.
John Kirby said that US President Joe Biden was disappointed with the OPEC decision and that he was willing to work with Congress to consider how the relationship should be.
John Kirby added, “I think they’re ready to discuss it right away, I don’t think it’s something to wait too long for.”
John Kirby said that this issue is not only a matter of concerns regarding the war in Ukraine, but it is a matter of national security interests of the United States.
It should be noted that the OPEC organization to cut oil production this week despite American opposition, the already strained relationship between President Joe Biden and the royal family of Saudi Arabia has become more tense.
It was also reported that government officials and experts in Washington and the Gulf countries monitoring US-Saudi relations said that the White House had put a lot of pressure on the OPEC countries to stop the decision to cut production.
The US administration has spent weeks lobbying OPEC countries in recent days, with senior US officials from the energy, foreign policy and economic teams urging their foreign counterparts to They should vote against the decision to cut production.
Joe Biden’s energy representative Amos Hochstein, top national security official Brett McGurk and special representative for Yemen Tim Lenderking visited Saudi Arabia last month to discuss OPEC’s decision, among other energy issues. .
