Obama Arrives in Saudi Arabia, Bin Laden Reminds of Himself

On June 3 and 4, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz will receive U.S. President Barack Obama in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The visit comes ahead of President Obama’s speech to the Muslim World. King Abdullah and President Obama will be discussing a number of issues of importance to both countries.

Today U.S. President Barack Obama is of course in Riyadh for talks with Saudi King Abdullah. They are meeting on the eve of the president's much anticipated address to the world's Muslims.

President Obama in Saudi Arabia got a red carpet welcome in Riyadh, complete with a military honor guard, and an immediate audience with the King.

They will conduct most of their talks in private at the King's farm, where Mr. Obama will spend the night before traveling on to Cairo. White House officials say they will talk about prospects to end decades of Arab-Israeli conflict. They will also discuss Iran's nuclear ambitions, as well as the impact rising oil prices are having on the world economy.

The talks between the King of Saudi Arabia and president Obama are a prelude to what may well be one of the most important speeches of Mr. Obama's young presidency.

In his address Thursday at Cairo University he will try ease decades of tensions between Muslims and the United States, tensions heightened by the war in Iraq, and a lack of progress in the Middle East peace process.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula. It occupies an area about the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River. Saudi Arabia’s population is around 22 million (2004 census), and its capital city is Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia’s geography is diverse, with forests, grasslands, mountain ranges and deserts. The climate varies from region to region. Temperatures can reach over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the desert in the summer, while in the winter temperatures in the north and central parts of the country can drop below freezing. Saudi Arabia gets very little rain, only about four inches a year on average.

Based on VOA, Saudi Arabian Sources