The United States, Israel and four Arab countries agreed to closer cooperation and annual foreign ministers' meetings on Monday, two weeks before President Joe Biden's first visit to the Middle East AFP stated.
Bahrain, host of the six-way talks, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco all opened ties with Israel under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, while Egypt made peace with the Jewish state in 1979.
The United States, Israel and four Arab countries agreed to closer cooperation and annual foreign ministers’ meetings on Monday, two weeks before President Joe Biden’s first visit to the Middle East. Bahrain, host of the six-way talks, the United Arab… https://t.co/U43foZIp5M
— Strawberry NG News (@StrawberryNG) June 27, 2022
Monday's meeting follows a foreign ministers' summit in the Negev desert in March, and comes ahead of Biden's visit to Israel, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia from July 13 to 16, the French news agency reports.
"We're trying to build a new regional framework... and tangible initiatives that can put flesh on the bones of the Negev forum," said Yael Lempert, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs was quoted as saying.
The United States, Israel and four Arab countries agreed to closer cooperation and annual foreign ministers’ meetings on Monday, two weeks before President Joe Biden’s first visit to the Middle East. Bahrain, host of the six-way talks, the United Arab… https://t.co/U43foZIp5M
— Strawberry NG News (@StrawberryNG) June 27, 2022
Working groups will investigate cooperation on six areas including security, clean energy and food and water security. A joint statement also gave support for a negotiated settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
"It's a very holistic approach, towards trying to advance this goal of building a new architecture that really has meaningful results," Lempert told reporters.
After Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid brought together counterparts from Israel, the US, the Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt last March, senior officials meet in Bahrain to lay more concrete plans https://t.co/khdzKCNUC4 by @RinaBassist
— Al-Monitor (@AlMonitor) June 28, 2022
The six countries' foreign ministers are expected to meet annually and the next ministerial talks should take place later this year, the statement said and as stated by Agence française de presse.
The Manama meeting is part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in the region ahead of Biden's visit, which Washington has played up as a boost for regional ties.
Just as there was a peace agreement between the Emirates and Israel, between Bahrain and Israel, and between Morocco and Israel, of course there will be a peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel????, and it will be the strongest and warmest among the Arab agreements! pic.twitter.com/HS991ZdGdj
— Bandar AlOtaibi סעודי?? (@wo8r_) June 26, 2022
The US president has drawn heavy criticism over the trip, which contradicts his description of Saudi Arabia as a "pariah" over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents.
His visit to the world's top oil exporter follows a sharp rise in crude prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, causing pain for US voters and economies around the world.
