Biden meets Saudi king with a handshake

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz receives US President Joe Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden shook hands with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz when they met on Friday, an image published by the Saudi state news agency showed, at the start of a trip in which Washington wants to reset ties with the oil-producing kingdom.

Biden, who once said he wanted to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" state, earlier greeted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with a fist bump shortly after his arrival on the visit, which U.S. officials said would include talks on human rights, one of the issues that have strained relations.

Reporting by Steve Holland, Aziz el Yaakoubi, Maha El Dahan, Jarrett Renshaw and Lilian Wagdy; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Catherine Evans

REUTERS