Scholz arrives in Saudi Arabia at start of Mideast tour

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday at the start of his Middle East trip. Scholz was met at the airport by Prince Khalid bin Faisal, the Governor of Makkah, before going on to meet Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Bridging the gap in natural gas supplies is a particular concern and one of the reasons Scholz is heading to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar together with a high-level business delegation, senior officials said. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity ahead of the trip, said Scholz would also address human rights issues with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.