France Stresses Support for Saudi Initiative on Yemen, Condemns Houthi Attacks

The Saudi Foreign Minister during his meeting with his French counterpart in Paris on Wednesday (Prince Faisal bin Farhan Twitter account).
The Saudi Foreign Minister during his meeting with his French counterpart in Paris on Wednesday (Prince Faisal bin Farhan Twitter account).
TT

France Stresses Support for Saudi Initiative on Yemen, Condemns Houthi Attacks

The Saudi Foreign Minister during his meeting with his French counterpart in Paris on Wednesday (Prince Faisal bin Farhan Twitter account).
The Saudi Foreign Minister during his meeting with his French counterpart in Paris on Wednesday (Prince Faisal bin Farhan Twitter account).

France has stressed its support for the Saudi peace initiative in Yemen, and condemned Houthi militia attacks on Saudi territories, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry following a meeting between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Paris.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan met over the past two days with a number of French officials, including the adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, Ambassador Emmanuel Bonne, and French senators.

The French President is expected to visit Saudi Arabia in October, according to well-informed French sources.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said that the two parties were seeking to boost their relations in various economic and investment fields, and work on giant projects in Saudi Arabia and France.

Discussions during Prince Faisal’s meetings in Paris also touched on enhancing cooperation in the educational and health sectors and the fields of innovation and technology, as well as exchanging expertise and combating Covid-19 and its variants.

The Iranian nuclear program prevailed over talks on regional affairs. In its statement, the French Foreign Ministry said that Le Drian underlined the need for Tehran to return to the nuclear negotiations, but reaffirmed “France’s commitment to regional security and stability and its determination to respond to issues of concern to France and Saudi Arabia.”

On Yemen, the French minister was keen to stress the “firm condemnation of the attacks carried out by the Houthis against Saudi territories,” and the need to stop hostilities, “proceed with a full and comprehensive political solution, and support the peace initiative presented by Saudi Arabia in March.”

The two sides discussed the situation in Lebanon, as Paris is preparing to hold a virtual conference on Aug. 4, a year after the port explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital, in order to provide humanitarian support to the people who are suffering from deteriorating crises.

Paris is seeking to guarantee the widest participation in order to maximize international support. France had hosted two similar conferences last year, and the French Ministry of Defense organized a meeting in mid-June to provide support to the Lebanese army.

The French Foreign Ministry said that Le Drian emphasized the “urgent” need for Lebanese officials to form a new government “capable of carrying out reforms.”



Riyadh Summit Condemns Gaza ‘Genocide’, Mobilizes Int’l Support to Isolate Israel

Arab and Islamic leaders at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Monday. (dpa)
Arab and Islamic leaders at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Monday. (dpa)
TT

Riyadh Summit Condemns Gaza ‘Genocide’, Mobilizes Int’l Support to Isolate Israel

Arab and Islamic leaders at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Monday. (dpa)
Arab and Islamic leaders at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Monday. (dpa)

Arab and Islamic leaders condemned on Monday the “genocide” committed by Israel in Gaza.

Meeting in Riyadh for the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit, they declared that they will “mobilize international support to suspend Israel’s participation in the United Nations General Assembly and its affiliates.”

In a closing statement, they added that they will work to garner international support for the state of Palestine to become a full member of the UN.

Moreover, they called on all countries to impose an arms embargo on Israel and demanded the UN Security Council to issue a resolution that “obligates Israel to end its illegal policies that threaten the region’s security and peace.”

The gatherers strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing assault on Lebanon, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

They accused the Israeli army of “committing genocide” in its war on Hamas in Gaza, condemning the “horrific and shocking crimes” against the Palestinian people.

They also noted the “the mass graves, torture, forced disappearance, field executions, looting and ethnic cleansing, especially in northern Gaza.”

The summit called for providing “full international support and protection to the Palestinian people and state of Palestine.”

It hoped the Palestinians would achieve national unity and that the united body would effectively assume its responsibilities throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza.

It reiterated the demand for “full Palestinian sovereignty over occupied east Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Palestine”, adding that the “Al-Aqsa Mosque is a red line”.

The summit condemned “hostile Israeli measures against Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem and attempts to change their identity,” calling on the international community to intervene and put a stop to it.