RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s initiative to end the Yemen crisis and reach a comprehensive political solution comes as a continuation of the Kingdom’s “concern for the security and stability of Yemen and the region.”
This came following the council of ministers weekly meeting chaired by King Salman.
The new peace initiative, which includes a comprehensive cease-fire and the reopening of Sanaa airport, was announced by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Monday. The plan would also ease restrictions on Hodeidah port and resume the political process.
The cabinet said the initiative also aimed to end the suffering of the Yemeni people, offered serious and practical support for peace, and unified political efforts achieved in consultations in meetings in Biel, Geneva, Kuwait and Stockholm.
The cabinet said, in this context, the Kingdom has the “complete right to defend its lands, citizens and residents from the systematic attacks carried out by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia against civilian objects and vital installations.”
It reiterated its complete rejection of Iranian interference in the region, “which caused the prolongation of the Yemeni crisis by supporting the smuggling and development of missiles and weapons” and breaching UN resolutions.
The Council of Ministers expressed appreciation for the international condemnation of the “cowardly terrorist and sabotage act that targeted the oil refinery in Riyadh,” and for the support it has received for the “measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its capabilities and gains in a way that preserves global energy security.”
The cabinet said these acts, which are repeatedly committed against vital installations and civilian objects, do not target the Kingdom alone, but rather target, more broadly, the security and stability of energy supplies and the global economy, and represent a violation of international laws and norms.
The ministers called on the international community to confront all parties who implement or support them.
Following the meeting, Majid Al-Qasabi, acting Minister of Information, said the ministers reviewed regional and international developments, including the statement issued by the 147th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s ministerial council which dealt with developments and strengthening joint Gulf action.
Al-Qasabi said the ministers also expressed condemnation over the continued Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, and the demolition of Palestinian property resulting in displacement.
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva told the Human Rights Council last week that the Kingdom would continue to support the Palestinian cause at all political and economic levels, and exert efforts to “promote and protect human rights in occupied Palestine.”
The cabinet hailed the successful launch of the two locally-made satellites “to serve scientific missions that contribute to enhancing the achievements made by the Kingdom in the space sector.”
Shaheen Sat 17, from King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), and CubeSat, from King Saud University (KSU), were launched on Sunday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on board Russia’s Soyuz-2 carrier rocket.
The ministers said the launch would help “motivate national competencies to move forward toward an industry of excellence in specialized fields that would benefit development” overall.
The ministers also reviewed the latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic, including statistics and data from the national vaccination campaign, and efforts made by the concerned authorities to “preserve public health and build a comprehensively immune society.”
