US-Islamic summit opens in Saudi Arabia

By Ahmed al-Masri

RIYADH (AA) – The Arab Islamic American Summit kicked off in Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday on the 2nd day of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia.

The summit -- the first of its kind -- is attended by Trump along with leaders and representatives of 55 Islamic countries.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is representing Turkey at the summit.

Writing on Twitter, Saudi King Salman voiced hope that the summit will bolster alliance between the two sides against extremism and terrorism.

During his speech, Trump will call for joint efforts to fight extremism.

"This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it," Trump will say in the speech, according to excerpts of the speech released by the White House.

"That means honestly confronting the crisis of Islamist extremism and the Islamist terror groups it inspires. And it means standing together against the murder of innocent Muslims, the oppression of women, the persecution of Jews, and the slaughter of Christians."

"Terrorism has spread across the world. But the path to peace begins right here, on this ancient soil, in this sacred land," Trump will say.

Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday on his first presidential trip abroad since taking office.

On the first day of Trump’s visit, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia agreed on an arms deal worth almost $110 billion "to support Saudi Arabia's defense needs", according to the U.S. State Department.