The Final Meeting at the White House (USA)
A significant meeting was held at the White House at 8:00 p.m. (Saudi Arabia Standard Time) on Friday, during which His Majesty King Saud met privately with His Excellency President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The two leaders discussed the final stages of the King’s visit, focusing on the relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States, as well as the relationship between the Arab world and America.
Following this private meeting, King Saud and President Eisenhower convened with members of their respective governments.
From the Saudi side, the attendees included:
- Prince Musaad bin Abdulrahman, President of the Board of Grievances
- Prince Fahd bin Saud, Minister of Defense and Aviation
- Sheikh Yusuf Yassin
- Sheikh Khalid Abu Al‑Walid
- Sheikh Jamal Al‑Husseini
- Sheikh Muhammad Surur Al‑Sabban
- Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Khayyal
From the American side:
- Secretary of State John Foster Dulles
- William Rountree, Head of the Middle East Division at the U.S. State Department
- The U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
All matters discussed during the week‑long talks were reviewed in preparation for issuing a joint communiqué. The session lasted one hour in a cordial atmosphere.
Meanwhile, in another wing of the White House, Press Secretary James Hagerty and Sheikh Abdullah Bal‑Khair, Director‑General of Broadcasting, Press, and Publishing, supervised the drafting of the joint communiqué. More than one hundred journalists and photographers waited in adjacent rooms to broadcast the statement worldwide at the agreed‑upon time.
It was decided that some of the King’s advisors would remain in Washington to finalize discussions on the principles agreed upon.
At 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, His Majesty King Saud departed Washington Military Airport aboard President Eisenhower’s private aircraft, heading to Spain on an official visit at the invitation of General Francisco Franco. A grand farewell ceremony was held, attended by senior U.S. officials, including:
- Vice President Richard Nixon
- Admiral Arthur Radford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Ambassador George Wadsworth
- William Rountree
- Robert Murphy
- Loy Henderson
- Buchanan, Chief of Protocol
- Brigadier General Dale Smith, assigned to accompany the King throughout his visit
Also present were the heads of diplomatic missions in Washington, led by the Norwegian Ambassador as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, the Spanish Ambassador José María, Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Al‑Khayyal, and Arab ambassadors and ministers plenipotentiary.
Upon the King’s arrival at the airport, the bands played the Saudi and American national anthems. His Majesty inspected an honor guard assembled in perfect formation. At the aircraft entrance, three honor guard units representing the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps stood in salute, while artillery fired a 21‑gun salute.
After inspecting the guard, the King ascended a platform near the aircraft door, where he listened to a speech delivered by Vice President Nixon on behalf of the U.S. government and people. Nixon said:
“Your Majesty,
When you came to this country, we already knew you were a friend of the United States. Now that Your Majesty has been among us, we have come to know you personally, which has deepened our appreciation of your friendship. Our relations have always been close, but through this visit, we have strengthened understanding and reinforced the ties between our two nations.”
King Saud responded:
“I thank you for this gracious welcome. My visit to this friendly country has been relatively short, yet it has left a profound impression on me. As I look forward to a strong and friendly relationship between our two nations, I express my gratitude to President Eisenhower and to the American people for the heartfelt reception I received.”
As the royal journey concluded—a journey followed closely by the Arab world since the King departed Medina—it is fitting to cite the commentary of United Press International (UPI) regarding its outcomes. The agency noted that the visit reflected the character of King Saud, who played a pivotal role in Middle Eastern affairs and in matters concerning the Arab world. His noble aims and sincere intentions toward Arab unity and Islam became evident.
A UPI correspondent in Washington reported to Al‑Ahram newspaper that Arab diplomatic circles agreed the visit was highly successful and beneficial. The King arrived at a time when Arab‑American relations were strained, and the Americans were eager to improve them.
Upon his arrival, King Saud won hearts with his warm personality and succeeded in presenting Saudi Arabia in its true image. Americans saw in him a realistic and wise statesman. The report added that the King never missed an opportunity to defend his friend President Gamal Abdel Nasser, as well as Egypt and Syria. He affirmed that Nasser was an Arab leader working for his nation’s interests and resisting aggression. He rejected propaganda claiming that Egypt and Syria were turning toward communism and reiterated his opposition to the Baghdad Pact.
The King also convinced the United States that aggression against Arabs—regardless of its source—would always produce the same result. This principle appeared in the joint communiqué, which was revised seven times before publication.
King Saud gave special attention to the issue of withdrawal from Gaza and Aqaba, pressing the U.S. State Department daily. Saudi officials remained optimistic. The King also persuaded President Eisenhower to sign a declaration supporting the independence and self‑determination of nations.
It was learned with certainty that the King expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. position on Algeria at the United Nations. However, he received assurances that Algeria would gain independence, similar to Morocco and Tunisia, within a short time.
Regarding Israel, the King clearly stated to President Eisenhower and to the press that Israel must implement all United Nations resolutions if peace were to be achieved.
As for the Eisenhower Doctrine, the King declared that if it were applied in the spirit he understood, the Arabs would be willing to consider it.
From: “Lights on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” 1377 AH, by Sheikh Abdullah Bal‑Khair.