Faisal bin Farhan to Houthis: You Have Started Something You Cannot Handle
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah stressed on Tuesday that the Kingdom will not hesitate to defend itself against any aggression and will use all available means to protect its interests, directing a strongly-worded message to the Houthis that the militias “have started something they cannot handle.”
Speaking during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Moscow, Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia “will not hesitate to support whatever achieves the interests of Yemen and the region,” and that it will use all available means to protect its interests and defend itself against aggressions.
Addressing the Houthi escalation, he accused the Houthi terrorist militias of attempting to export their internal problems in Yemen to Saudi Arabia.
He added that the Houthis resort to violence whenever they find themselves in a difficult position, and that they insist on inflicting further suffering upon the Yemeni people instead of responsibly engaging in a political process that would end the crisis.
Despite the firm tone regarding the escalation, Prince Faisal added that the door to diplomacy remains open for dealing with the Houthis, noting that the legitimate Yemeni government has provided them with an opportunity to negotiate responsibly.
However, the group prefers its narrow, personal interests over the interests of Yemen and its people, he lamented.
The Saudi FM stressed that the Kingdom will not hesitate to support whatever serves the interest of Yemen and the region, while simultaneously upholding its right to protect its security and interests, and to counter aggressions using all available means.
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the Houthi attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia as “unacceptable,” warning that they endanger civilian lives and infrastructure and inflict damage on the global economy, given the strategic importance of the Arabian Peninsula and its surrounding waters to international trade.
He added that Moscow views the Houthi attacks as “counterproductive,” underlining Russia's full support for Saudi Arabia's efforts to continue implementing the roadmap for a peaceful settlement in Yemen.
He stressed his rejection of any attempt to resolve issues through military means, underscoring the need to guarantee the freedom and safety of navigation in international waters, including the waters adjacent to the Yemeni coast.
He also called for expediting the launch of a direct dialogue between influential Yemeni factions, based on the roadmap reached through a Saudi initiative.
Prince Faisal had arrived in Moscow on Tuesday morning for an official visit, during which he held talks with Lavrov that addressed bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest.
Saudi Arabia Categorically Rejects Any Attempts to Alter Geographical Character of Palestinian Territory
Saudi Arabia reiterated its absolute rejection of any measures aimed at the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, or any attempts to alter the geographical or demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territory.
It also expressed its strong condemnation of the expansion of Israeli settlement activities and settler terrorism.
This came during the participation of the Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, as part of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council that addressed the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.
Dr. Salem Al-Qahtani, Director General of the General Administration of Humanitarian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Saudi Arabia reaffirms that the only path to achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace lies in the implementation of the two-state solution, supporting the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and the establishment of their independent, sovereign state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the continuation of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, stressing the need of adhering to a ceasefire and ensuring full protection for civilians, he added.
Al-Qahtani said Saudi Arabia values the important steps taken by a number of countries to recognize the State of Palestine, and the subsequent recent strengthening of accountability measures, including restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements.
Marking one year since the adoption of the "New York Declaration," Riyadh reaffirmed the statement made by the co-chairs of the "Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution," stressing that Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are a single Palestinian territorial unit, and that the occupation must end.
Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria Discuss Bolstering Defense, Military Cooperation
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held talks on Tuesday with his Bulgarian counterpart Dimitar Stoyanov on military and defense cooperation between their countries and means to develop them to serve mutual interests.
During a telephone call, they also tackled means of bolstering security and stability in the region. They also discussed regional and international affairs.
Saudi Arabia Reaffirms Rejection of Using Vital Waterways to Harm States' Interests
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the Cabinet session held Tuesday in Riyadh.
At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the contents of phone calls with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin; Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; and President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of the Republic of Sudan Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.
