Riyadh Talks: Ideas, Options for Yemeni Peace Map Development

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman meeting with the Sanaa delegation in Riyadh (SPA)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman meeting with the Sanaa delegation in Riyadh (SPA)
TT

Riyadh Talks: Ideas, Options for Yemeni Peace Map Development

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman meeting with the Sanaa delegation in Riyadh (SPA)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman meeting with the Sanaa delegation in Riyadh (SPA)

During a span of four days, the Saudi communication and coordination team, in collaboration with a delegation from the Sultanate of Oman, engaged in extensive discussions with the visiting Houthi delegation in Riyadh to tackle matters related to Yemen.

Saudi Arabia had invited the Sanaa delegation to visit Riyadh to discuss the Yemeni peace plan.

Without disclosing details, the Saudi Foreign Ministry welcomed the outcomes of these deliberations, describing them in a statement as “positive” steps toward the creation of a roadmap to support the Yemeni peace process.

The ministry further clarified that the meeting of the Saudi team headed by Ambassador Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber, who had visited Sanaa last April, had yielded results.

Among the key outcomes were “the formulation of numerous ideas and options for the development of a roadmap agreeable to all Yemeni parties.”

Headed by Mohammed Abdulsalam Felitah, the Houthi delegation from Sanaa met with Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman.

During the meeting, Prince Khalid asserted the Kingdom’s commitment to reaching a political solution in Yemen.

“We look forward to the earnest discussions achieving their objectives and the Yemeni parties uniting under a common vision,” the minister said on Wednesday.

“This should take place within a framework of lasting political stability and security, aligning with the broader developmental progress of the Gulf region,” he added in a post on X.

The Houthi delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia last week. It was the first official visit to the Kingdom since the war broke out in Yemen in 2014 after the Iran-aligned group ousted the government there.

London, as expressed by its Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in an interview with Al-Arabiya, welcomed the meetings in Riyadh.

Charles Harper, who is currently serving as the Chargé d'Affaires of the British Embassy in Yemen, emphasized the significance of Saudi Arabia hosting a Houthi delegation in Riyadh.

In statements made to Asharq Al-Awsat, Harper underscored the importance of making progress in the comprehensive intra-Yemeni dialogue process under the auspices of the UN.

Observers note that Saudi Arabia aims for Yemenis to prioritize prosperity, stability, and development, resolving disputes through dialogue rather than armed conflict.



Syrian FM: Saudi Arabia Will Be Destination of First Official Foreign Visit

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani. (AFP)
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani. (AFP)
TT

Syrian FM: Saudi Arabia Will Be Destination of First Official Foreign Visit

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani. (AFP)
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani. (AFP)

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani said on Monday that he received an invitation from his Saudi counterpart to visit the Kingdom, making it the destination of his first official foreign visit since his appointment to his post.

In a post on the X platform, he revealed that he received the invitation from Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abullah and that he was “honored to represent his country” during the official visit.

Shibani added that the “new Syria welcomes all Arab and foreign delegations. We are opening a new historic chapter that connects Syria’s past to its present and closes the chapter of boycott during the rule of the former regime.”

Hours earlier, head of Syria’s new administration Ahmed al-Sharaa underscored to Al-Arabiya television the importance of Saudi Arabia in Syria’s future.

“Saudi Arabia will play a major role,” he stressed, highlighting the recent “very positive” Saudi statements on Syria.

Saudi Arabia is seeking Syria’s stability, he added, noting the major economic opportunities available in his country.