King's absence from US summit shows Saudi upset over Iran push

(REUTERS) The Saudi king's absence from a regional summit to be hosted by President Barack Obama shows how Gulf states, displeased by what they see as US indifference to Iranian meddling in the Arab world, may hesitate to bless any nuclear deal with Tehran. Analysts and diplomats in the Middle East described King Salman's decision to skip the meeting at Camp David this week as a snub, despite denials from US officials and some Saudi insiders. Riyadh announced the monarch's no-show on Sunday, only two days after the White House had said he would attend the summit of Gulf Cooperation Council states - some of which have long doubted Obama's commitment to confronting Iranian backing of Shi'ite Muslim militias across the region. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who has strong ties with the US political and security establishment, will represent Saudi Arabia at the May 13-14 gathering along with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Defence Minister. Since Salman took power in January, the pair have determined most aspects of Saudi policy