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WASHINGTON/RIYADH The White House scrambled on Monday to counter perceptions that the Saudi king's absence from a summit later this week could undermine U.S. efforts to assure Gulf states it remains committed to their security against Iran.King Salman's abrupt decision to skip the U.S.-hosted regional talks shows how Gulf rulers, displeased by what they see as U.S. indifference to Iranian meddling in the Arab world, may hesitate to bless any final nuclear deal that President Barack Obama reaches with Tehran.Some analysts and diplomats in the Middle East and Washington interpreted Salman's decision to stay away from the meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat as a diplomatic snub, despite denials from U.S. and Saudi officials.Riyadh announced the monarch's no-show on Sunday, only two days after the White House had said he would attend the summit of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states - some of which have long doubted Obama's commitment to confronting Iranian backing of Shi'ite Muslim militias across the region.Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who has strong ties with the U.S. political and security establishment, will represent Saudi Arabia at the May 13-14 gathering along with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the king's son who serves as the defence minister. Since Salman took power in January, the pair have determined most aspects of Saudi policy. Only two of the Gulf countries - Kuwait and Qatar - will be represented by their ruling monarchs, while the others are all sending lower-ranking officials.U.S. officials quickly pushed back against the notion that Gulf Sunni Muslim allies downgraded their attendance to signal dissatisfaction with Obama's diplomacy with Shi'ite Iran ahead of an end-June deadline for a landmark nuclear deal.The White House announced that Obama had spoken by phone to Salman on Monday, apparently trying to show that relations remained on a solid footing.Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser, said the administration was convinced that the president would have "the right group of people around the table" at Camp David. "These are the people responsible for the security portfolios," he told reporters in a pre-summit briefing. The Saudi government said one of the main reasons Salman was skipping the summit was because it overlapped with a five-day humanitarian ceasefire in neighboring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is waging a bombing campaign against Iran-allied Houthi rebels.The leading Gulf Arab power has complained for years that Washington does not take its concerns seriously. It thinks a focus on settling the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program has distracted the United States from more urgent problems and raised questions about broader security commitments to the region.SEEKING TO PLACATE ALLIESSeeking to reassure the Gulf allies, White House officials said on Monday the summit would produce announcements on integrating ballistic missile defense systems and increasing joint military exercises. They said there would also be a statement outlining both U.S. and Gulf states' commitments but were vague about whether that would entail the written U.S. assurances that some Gulf diplomats have sought. The U.S. officials said, however, that they told Gulf states they would not offer a defense treaty, which would face steep obstacles in Congress.Washington is also poised to offer new weapons under a push for a joint region-wide missile defence system, senior U.S. officials said last week."The conspiracy theorists of old have been proven right. The U.S. creates threats for us and then offers us more weapons systems. That does not bode well for us," said Sami Alfaraj, a Kuwaiti security adviser to the six-nation GCC.Riyadh believes Iranian support for militias in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen is the biggest cause of regional instability, aggravating sectarian tensions, undermining strong government and boosting Sunni Muslim jihadists.The Saudis fear Obama sees a settlement between world powers and Tehran as his legacy. Such a deal on the nuclear program - which the West believes may be aimed at building weapons despite Iranian denials - could lift international sanctions without taming the country's regional ambitions, they think. Backing from the GCC - made up of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman - is important for Obama to show Congress that the Iran deal has broad regional support, despite Israeli opposition.Salman expressed guarded support for a framework nuclear agreement reached last month, but insists any accord must be robust, verifiable and no threat to Tehran's neighbours.Echoing White House denials, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Washington that the notion of a snub by Salman was "really off-base," and he insisted the king's absence was not related to any disagreements between the two countries.But others in the region cited reasons for Saudi disappointment."Their experience of six years from Obama is assurances, promises, nice words. But at the end of the day they got nothing in their hands," said Mustafa Alani, an Iraqi security analyst with close ties to the Saudi crown prince's Interior Ministry. Some diplomats in the region believe the absence from Camp David of King Salman and close ally King Hamad of Bahrain, host of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, may backfire."Of course it (Salman's non-appearance) is a snub. But I don't think Obama is going to put up with this. He wants the nuclear deal. It is the number one priority," said a Western diplomat based in the region. (Additional reporting by Sylvia Westall in Beirut, William Maclean in Dubai, Jeff Mason, Roberta Rampton and Warren Strobel in Washington; Editing David Stamp and Stuart Grudgings)

U.S. rejects notion that Gulf rulers snubbing Obama summit

WASHINGTON/RIYADH The White House scrambled on Monday to counter perceptions that the Saudi king's absence from a summit later this wee...

Saudi King Salman to miss Gulf nation summit in US | Fox News SearchSign in to comment!LoginFox News HomeWatch LiveTrendingVideoWatch LiveShow ClipsNews ClipsFN Radio LivePoliticsPolitics HomeElectionsExecutiveSenateHouse of RepresentativesDefenseJudiciaryScandalsCongress To-Do ListU.S.U.S. HomeCrimeTerrorismEconomyImmigrationDisastersMilitaryEducationEnvironmentPersonal FreedomsRegionsOpinionOpinion HomeTodd StarnesJudith MillerJuan WilliamsKT McFarlandDr. Keith AblowKarl RoveRic GrenellEntertainment[FOX411] HOMECelebrity NewsMoviesTVMusicStyle[FOX411] VideoTechTech HomeGadgetsGoogleSocialMilitary TechSmartphonesVideo GamesSlideshowsScienceScience HomeArchaeologyAir & SpacePlanet EarthWild NatureNatural ScienceDinosaursSlideshowsHealthHealth HomeMen's HealthWomen's HealthChildren's HealthAlternative MedicineDiabetesHeart HealthAllergiesNutrition & FitnessTravelTravel HomeSlideshowsIn 5 GuidesLifestyleLifestyle HomeAutoFood & DrinkReal EstateRecipesWine with MeWorldWorld HomeU.N.ConflictsTerrorismDisastersGlobal EconomyEnvironmentReligionScandalsRegionsSportsSports HomeFootballBasketballHockeyBaseballCollege SportsTennisNascarGolfMore SportsStatsOn AirOn Air HomeA Healthy You & Carol AltAmerica's News HQAmerica's NewsroomCavutoFox FilesFox & Friends FirstFox & FriendsFox & Friends WeekendFox News SundayGeraldo Rivera ReportsGretaHannityHappening NowJustice with Judge JeanineL&L: The Real West#mediabuzzOutnumberedRed EyeShepard Smith ReportingSpecial ReportSpecialsSunday Morning Futures with Maria BartiromoThe Cost of FreedomThe FiveThe Journal Editorial ReportThe Kelly FileThe O'Reilly FactorThe Real Story w/ Gretchen CarlsonWar StoriesMore from Fox NewsFox NewsFox BusinessFox News LatinoFox News GoFox News RadioFox NationFox News InsiderFox NewsFox BusinessFox News LatinoFox News GoFox News RadioFox NationFox News InsiderMenuHomeFoxNews.comPoliticsSearch Politics HomeElectionsExecutiveSenateHouseDefenseJudiciaryScandalsFox News PollPoliticsSaudi King Salman to miss Gulf nation summit in US Published May 10, 2015FoxNews.com Facebook0 Twitter0 livefyre Email Print Mar. 28, 2014: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, escort President Obama to his meeting with Saudi King Abdullah at Rawdat Khuraim, Saudi Arabia. (AP)Saudi Arabia's King Salman will not attend a Camp David summit of U.S. and allied Arab leaders, his foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, said Sunday. In a statement, al-Jubeir said the summit Thursday coincides with a humanitarian cease-fire in the conflict in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Shiite rebels known as Houthis. He said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who is also interior minister, would lead the Saudi delegation and the king's son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is defense minister, will also attend. President Obama had planned to meet Salman one-on-one a day before the gathering of leaders at the presidential retreat but the White House did not take his decision to skip the summit as a sign of any substantial disagreement with the U.S. "We first learned of the King's possible change of plans from Saudis on Friday night," a senior U.S. administration official told Fox News. "This was confirmed by the Saudis on Saturday. We coordinated closely with our Saudi partners on the alternate arrangement and timing of the announcement and look forward to welcoming Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.  This is not in response to any substantive issue." The king, who took power in January after his brother King Abdullah died, has not traveled abroad since his ascension to the throne. At the summit, leaders of Gulf nations will be looking for assurance that Obama has their support when the region feels under siege from Islamic extremists and Syria, Iraq and Yemen are in various states of chaos. Arab allies also feel threatened by Iran's rising influence and worry the nuclear pact taking shape with the U.S., Iran and other nations may embolden Tehran to intrude more aggressively in countries of the region. What are the expectations for Obama's meetings with Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman? Weapons sales. A renewed call for a coordinated missile defense system. More joint military exercises. Better cooperation on cybersecurity, as well as maritime or border security. Making the countries' defense systems work in concert. "I don't believe there's a single country (in the council) that doesn't think a defense shield for the region is a bad idea," Otaiba said. "The challenge is how do you turn on a regional defense system when different countries are purchasing different equipment and at different paces? How do you link it? How do you get the radars to talk to each other?" A high-level Saudi official told The Associated Press in Riyadh that his country wants a defense system and military cooperation similar to what the U.S. affords Israel. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to disclose details of the Saudis' wish list at the summit, said they also want access to high-tech military equipment, missiles, planes and satellites, as well as more technology and training cooperation with the U.S. Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Obama will have to work hard to convince the Arab allies that they do not need to fear fallout from any nuclear deal. "Right now they feel that they have no support from this administration so he has a steep hill to climb," said McCain, pointing to Saudi Arabia's decision to act unilaterally in Yemen. McCain said that's why the Saudis gave Gen. Lloyd Austin, head of the U.S. Central Command, only "an hour's notice they were going to strike Yemen." Saudi Arabia has led airstrikes against Iranian-backed rebels who have toppled the Yemeni government. Secretary of State John Kerry declines to say exactly what kind of reassurances Obama is prepared to offer at Camp David. In general terms, Kerry said Friday in Paris, the U.S. wants to strengthen its "security-military relationship" with its Gulf allies and tackle a variety of problems, "foremost of which is the Iranian interference in the affairs of the countries of the region." He said U.S. officials were fleshing out commitments that will create a "new security understanding, a new set of security initiatives." Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, chairman of the Senate panel overseeing foreign aid, warns against the U.S. offering a massive arms package in exchange for Gulf nations' support of a nuclear deal. Graham said he isn't opposed to upgrading the military capabilities of Arab allies, but "if it has a hint of being connected to the Iran deal, I will do everything I can to make sure they never get one bullet or one plane." Jon Alterman at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington wonders if there is anything the United States can do that would reassure the Gulf states when it comes to Iranian expansionism. "It seems to me that where they most want reassurance is where the U.S. is both least able and most unwilling to provide it," he said. "My guess is that the summit is going to leave everybody feeling a little bit unsatisfied." Fox News' Ed Henry and The Associated Press contributed to this report Advertisement Trending in Politics 1 'Terrorism has gone viral': US officials, lawmakers warn of growing jihad-inspired attacks 2Exclusive: Jeb Bush says he, Hillary Clinton would have backed Iraq invasion 3Amid 2016 appeals to rich donors, middle-class voters, Carson stays focused on poor 4Jimmy Carter cuts short Guyana visit, citing health 5Newest 2016 candidate Huckabee defends criticism about backing 'questionable' diabetes program See all Trends Advertisement Fox NewsPoliticsPolitics HomeExecutiveSenateHouse of RepresentativesDefenseJudiciaryScandalsCongress To-Do ListPresidential Approval<img alt="President Barack Obama" src="http://global.fncstatic.com/static/v/fn2/img/politics/approval-president.png">Approve51%Disapprove47%More details →Congressional Approval<img alt="United States Congress" src="http://global.fncstatic.com/static/v/fn2/img/politics/approval-congress.png">Approve13%Disapprove75%More details →FoxNews.comBack to Top©2015 FOX News Network, LLC. 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Saudi King Salman to skip Gulf nation summit in US hosted by Obama

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