SINGAPORE -- Certain Middle East nations are repositioning themselves diplomatically, a move that holds great significance in the international arena.
The decision by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to visit "the East" -- China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan -- before going to Washington is noteworthy because the United States still considers the Saudi kingdom its foremost Mideast ally and the linchpin of U.S. strategic policy in the region.
The king's visit to Beijing was focused on Chinese energy needs. The two countries signed an agreement to expand cooperation in the oil, natural gas and minerals industries, laying the groundwork for Beijing to secure vital energy supplies from the world's largest oil exporter. In New Delhi, the Saudi monarch assured India of a stable and increased volume of crude supplies made available under a "strategic energy partnership."