Blinken speaks to Saudi FM about support for Kyiv, risk posed by Safer oil tanker spill

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken dialled Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Tuesday (local time). According to the statement released by State Department spokesperson Ned Price, both diplomats discussed efforts to avert the economic, environmental, and humanitarian threats posed by the Safer oil tanker in the Red Sea region. It is to note that on March 24, 1989, an oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska spilling 11 million gallons of oil.

According to a report by the US Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program, a small portion of the oil from the Exxon Valdez spill still lingers in patches beneath Prince William Sound. The area, where the incident happened more than three decades ago, is in an ecologically sensitive region. It is considered the largest environmental disaster in US history. Further, during the call, the US State Secretary thanked the Saudi Foreign Minister for his nation's efforts to strengthen and extend the truce in Yemen.   

Blinken then talked about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and stressed the importance of international support for the war-ravaged nation. He noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal war is causing a food crisis. Besides, the diplomats discussed the challenge posed by Iran’s nuclear program and its destabilising behaviour in the region. Blinken underlined the opportunities for greater cooperation on regional issues. 

Earlier in March this year, both diplomats held a similar telephonic conversation where they discussed the challenges posed by Iran’s nuclear program and building strong international support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while holding President Putin accountable for his unprovoked and "unlawful war". In October last year, Saudi FM had a trip to Washington where he held an in-person meeting with Prince Faisal.  

Image: AP