U.S. President Barack Obama and senior officials from six Gulf nations are continuing their summit Thursday on issues in the Middle East, including a potential nuclear deal with Iran and the fighting in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya.
The talks with the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council began with a working dinner Wednesday night at the White House before shifting Thursday to the Camp David presidential retreat about 100 kilometers north of Washington.
Mr. Obama said the meetings come during what he called a "very challenging time" in the Gulf region.
His deputy national security advisor, Ben Rhodes, told Alhurra on Wednesday that one of the goals of the summit is to examine military capabilities and ways for the Gulf countries to both work together and with the United States.
Gulf states have expressed concern about the ongoing nuclear negotiations with regional rival Iran and want to upgrade their security relationship with the U.S. They are worried that a deal would boost Iranian prestige in the region and weaken U.S. ties with other Gulf states, particularly in military matters.
White House spokesman John Earnest said Wednesday the U.S. values its security ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council.