The United States and Saudi Arabia are "days away" from finalizing documents for a historic bilateral agreement, a top priority for President Joe Biden, which could set the stage for normalizing relations between the kingdom and Israel, CBS News reported on Sunday, citing a source familiar with the matter.
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News that significant progress was made on Saturday during a meeting between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The eastern city is home to Saudi Aramco, the kingdom's state-run oil giant.
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US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
(Photo: AP, Reuters)
In a statement released overnight Saturday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry described the draft agreement as "nearly final."
According to the report, the first component of the deal includes a series of agreements between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, covering defense guarantees and civil nuclear cooperation. This aspect would strengthen U.S.-Saudi ties at a time when China is seeking to expand its influence in the Middle East.
A second component aims to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. However, this is contingent on a third, more complex component: establishing a pathway to a Palestinian state.
If successful, this agreement would mark a significant diplomatic achievement for the Biden administration, reinforcing U.S. alliances in the region and potentially reshaping Middle Eastern geopolitics.