Saudi Arabia confident Biden will pursue regional stability

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Saturday he was confident that Democrat Joe Biden's incoming US administration would pursue policies that help regional stability and that any discussions with it would lead to strong cooperation. Riyadh is bracing itself for a new US president who pledged on the election campaign trail to reassess ties with Saudi Arabia, a state he described as a "pariah" in 2019. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman enjoyed close personal ties with President Trump and their relationship provided a buffer against criticism over Riyadh's rights record, Riyadh's role in Yemen's war and the detention of women's rights activists. Those areas may now become points of friction between Biden and Saudi Arabia, a major oil exporter and buyer of US arms.