— Michael Alan Ratney, US ambassador-designate to the Kingdom, handed a copy of his credentials to an official at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh. On behalf of the Foreign Minister, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs Abdulmajeed Al-Smari received a copy of Ratney"s credentials. Ratney was serving as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant, Israel and Palestinian Affairs at the State Department prior to his new posting. He was the US Special Envoy for Syria and before that Ratney was the US Consul General in Jerusalem. At the time of his nomination, Ratney said he was committed to a “strong and sustainable US-Saudi partnership that advances US interests and reflects US values.” Ratney said he wanted to help strengthen Saudi defenses through security cooperation and training, “demonstrating the durable American commitment to our partners and allies and to our values.”