US President Barack Obama has met a Saudi women's rights activist on the same day women have pledged to defy a driving ban, as he wrapped up a reassurance visit to the longtime ally.
In talks with King Abdullah late on Friday, Obama told his host the two countries remained in lock-step on their strategic interests despite policy differences over Iran and Syria.
But despite appeals from US politicians, Obama did not raise the issue of human rights, a senior US official said, instead scheduling Saturday morning's meeting with Maha Al-Muneef, a prominent campaigner against domestic violence in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom.
Muneef was one of 10 women honoured by the US State Department this year for bravery, and Obama took the opportunity to hand her the accolade in person after she was unable to attend an awards ceremony in Washington earlier this month.
Muneef founded the National Family Safety Programme in 2005 to campaign against domestic violence in Saudi Arabia where activists have long demanded an end to the "absolute authority" over women of their male guardians.
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Her meeting with Obama, shortly before he flew home to Washington, came as Saudi activists called for a new day of defiance of the kingdom's unique ban on women driving.
Activist Madiha al-Ajroush said the protest had not been deliberately timed to coincide with Obama's visit.
"We have fixed a day every month to pursue our campaign," she said.
The action is part of a campaign launched on October 26, when 16 women activists were stopped by police for defying the ban.
Amnesty International had urged Obama to take a strong stance on the issue during his visit by appointing a woman chauffeur and meeting activists.
"Under its restrictive guardianship system, women need the permission of a male guardian to get married, travel, undergo certain types of surgery, accept paid employment or enrol in higher education," the London-based watchdog said.
Dozens of US politicians had also called on Obama to publicly address Saudi Arabia's "systematic human rights violations", including its ban on women drivers.
The US official said the administration shared many of the concerns but Friday's meeting was focused on major geopolitical issues affecting the region, particularly Syria and Iran.
