Emomali Rahmon among leaders invited to the US-Arab Islamic summit in Riyadh
DUSHANBE, May 22, 2017, Asia-Plus – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has received an invitation from Saudi King Salman to participate in a summit with US President Donald Trump that will take place in Riyadh on May 21.
While in Riyadh, President Rahmon is expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings, a source in the Tajik government told Asia-Plus in an interview.
The first meeting President Rahmon will hold with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Tajik leader will deliver a statement at the U.S.-Arab Islamic summit on May 21.
Leaders, Jordan, Algeria, Niger, Yemen, Morocco, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, Tunisia, Afghanistan and some other Muslim countries, in all, leaders of more than 50 Muslim countries, have received invitations to attend the US-Arab Islamic summit in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia — which is home to Islam's holiest sites — will be Trump's first foreign stop since becoming president in January.
According to ABC News, Trump will arrive in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, on May 20. After arriving in Riyadh, Trump will have coffee with King Salman of Saudi Arabia, attend a royal banquet and hold bilateral meetings with the king, the crown prince and the deputy crown prince.
Trump will participate in a signing ceremony of “several agreements that will further solidify U.S.-Saudi security and economic cooperation."
On May 21, Trump holds bilateral meetings with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders as well as broader meetings with all Gulf states leaders.
In the afternoon, Trump has lunch with leaders of more than 50 Muslim countries and will deliver “an inspiring, direct speech on the need to confront radical ideology and the president’s hopes for a peaceful vision of Islam.”
Trump participates in the inauguration of a new center to fight radicalism and promote moderation.
Critics have accused Trump of being anti-Muslim after he issued a ban, now blocked by U.S. courts, on entry into the United States by citizens of several Muslim-majority countries, citing national security concerns.
