U.S.: Saudi Arabia's Influence Would be Greater on Security Council

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Monday that the country would have had more influence by taking a seat on the U.N. Security Council.

A senior State Department official said Kerry discussed the issue of Saudi Arabia's shock rejection of a U.N. Security Council seat with Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal during talks in Paris.

"Secretary Kerry conveyed that while it is Saudi Arabia's decision to make, the U.S. values Saudi Arabia's leadership in the region and the international community, and a seat on the UNSC affords member states the opportunity to engage directly on these issues," said the official.

Saudi Arabia stunned observers by turning down a prized two-year seat on the Security Council, accusing the U.N. body of "double standards" over Syria's civil war and other Middle East hotspots.

The official said the two also discussed the Syria conflict, the Iran nuclear issue and other regional questions during a two-hour lunch in Paris, where Kerry was meeting with Arab League officials.