Saudi Crown Prince: We are oldest US ally in Mideast, to focus on peace for all

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the run up to his state visit to the US and meeting with President Trump at the White House said that Saudi Arabia “is the oldest ally to the US in the Middle East before any other country.”

“Saudi-American relations are historic going back nearly 80 years,” he said.

The Crown Prince made the above statement to "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell in a much-anticipated interview set to air on March 18 ahead of his state visit to the United States.

In the second part a preview of the interview posted by CBS online on Friday, O'Donnell asked the crown prince about the US visit.

Other topics discussed was Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner’s role and the US president's plan to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. “Jared is assigned this portfolio by the White House. … Our duty as Saudis is to improve relations with our allies and with all representatives of these institutions,” Mohammed Bin Salman said.

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When asked about Trump's decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem and whether it would help or hurt the peace process, the Crown Prince responded: “We try to focus on the efforts that promote peace for all. We do not try to focus on anything that might create tension.

It is my nature always to be positive. So, I try to focus on the things that will support the interests of the Palestinian people and the interests of all.”