Obama to visit Saudi Arabia to discuss security issues

President Barack Obama will visit Saudi Arabia next month and meet with King Abdullah in a bid to reassure the key US ally and to discuss a range of security issues that have caused some strains in the bilateral ties.

"Saudi Arabia is a close partner of the United States and we have a bilateral relationship that is broad and deep and covers a range of areas," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters yesterday.

Obama will travel to Saudi following his visit to the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy in March. It will be Obama's first visit to Saudi Arabia since 2009.

His trip comes after Secretary of State John Kerry visited Riyadh last month.

"The President looks forward to discussing with King Abdullah the enduring and strategic ties between the US and Saudi Arabia as well as ongoing cooperation to advance a range of common interests related to Gulf and regional security, peace in the Middle East, countering violent extremism, and other issues of prosperity and security," Carney said.

Saudi officials have expressed concern about US-led efforts to broker a nuclear deal with Iran and America's reluctance to engage more directly in Syria's civil war.

"The President very much looks forward to the visit where all of those areas will be discussed in his meetings. And whatever differences we may have do not alter the fact that this is a very important and close partnership," Carney said.

"Obviously, the Middle East peace process, matters involving security situations across the region, important economic issues with our bilateral relationship -- this is an important meeting between two close partners and I'm sure the whole panoply of issues will be discussed," he said.

The US and Saudi Arabia have close ties on military and energy matters.