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.
