White House rules out Trump visit to Turkey after Abu Dhabi
May 13: Meetings in Riyadh May 14: Leaves Riyadh and travels to Doha May 15: Departs Doha and travels to Abu Dhabi May 16: Leaves Abu Dhabi Riyadh Mr Trump began his landmark Gulf tour in Riyadh, where he was received by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. His schedule includes a bilateral meeting with the crown prince, participation in a US-Saudi investment forum at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre, and a speech at the same venue. Mr Trump is also expected to tour a major construction site and the historic Diriyah district, a Unesco World Heritage Site. The following day, he will greet US embassy personnel, take part in a GCC leaders' summit and join them for a family photo before departing for Qatar. Doha Upon arrival in Qatar, Mr Trump will be received by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for an official welcome and bilateral meeting, followed by a state dinner at Lusail Palace. The next morning, his agenda includes a breakfast with Qatari and US business leaders and a visit to Al Udeid Air Base, where he will receive a military briefing and meet with American troops. The Qatar stop is expected to highlight both economic cooperation and defense ties before Trump heads to the final leg of his tour in the UAE. Abu Dhabi In the UAE capital, President Trump will tour the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque before attending a formal greeting, bilateral talks and a state dinner hosted by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed at Qasr Al Watan. On Friday, he is scheduled to meet US embassy staff, participate in a US-UAE business event and visit the Abrahamic Family House on Saadiyat Island, a symbol of interfaith dialogue. He will then depart for Washington, DC, on Friday. President Donald Trump upended more than a decade of US foreign policy on Syria when he said he would lift sanctions against Damascus, a game-changing move that dramatically alters the nation's economic and diplomatic position. The Trump administration had until now insisted that any sanctions relief would be determined by the pace of reforms in Syria, after the Hayat Tahrir Al Sham rebel group overthrew the regime of Bashar Al Assad in December. But Mr Trump cast that deliberative process aside as he visited Saudi Arabia, saying he would lift all sanctions at the request of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and that it is now Syria's 'time to shine'. 'Oh, what I do for the Crown Prince,' Mr Trump said at Tuesday's US-Saudi Investment Forum, where delegates loudly applauded his announcement. He also said he made the decision after discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government has pushed for the sanctions to be lifted. Further underscoring Mr Trump's new approach, he said he planned to meet Syrian leader Ahmad Al Shara in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The meeting is especially remarkable given that Mr Al Shara remains the member of a US-designated terrorist organisation because of past ties to Al Qaeda. The White House and State Department provided no time for when sanctions would be lifted. The US has a complex mix of sanctions, terrorist designations and export controls against Syria aimed at choking off its banking, export and other sectors during the country's civil war, although some of the oldest measures predate the outbreak of violence in 2011. Aaron Zelin, the Gloria and Ken Levy Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, predicted there would be some quick sanction cuts, allowing for an infusion of cash and investments, most likely from Gulf states. 'There still remains a lot of questions, even if Trump made this declarative statement,' Mr Zelin told The National. He described the developments as a 'net positive' for Syria, in a sentiment echoed widely. Syrians took to the streets and celebrated into the night in Damascus and elsewhere after Mr Trump's announcement. Read more
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