French president meets Saudi crown prince

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during his first interview from the Elysee Palace in Paris, on October 15, 2017. AFP FILE PHOTO

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—French President Emmanuel Macron has met Saudi Arabia’s crown prince in Riyadh on Thursday.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency reported the meeting early Friday, saying that Macron met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman late Thursday night.

The agency said they discussed “the latest developments in the Middle East and the efforts being exerted for the security and stability of the region, including joint coordination in the fight against terrorism.”

The report also said that Macron “expressed France’s condemnation of targeting Riyadh city by a ballistic missile.” That missile was fired by Shiite rebels in Yemen and Macron on Thursday night said the missile “obviously” was Iranian, without elaborating.

Macron announced the surprise visit at the end of a two-day trip to the neighboring United Arab Emirates.

Iran has denied arming Yemen’s rebels.

Macron’s announced trip to Saudi Arabia comes as the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been cementing his power amid a series of arrests of princes and business leaders in what the kingdom describes as a crackdown on corruption. /jpv