Saudi Arabia Stresses Firm Stance in Resolving Ukraine Crisis Peacefully

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Stresses Firm Stance in Resolving Ukraine Crisis Peacefully

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. (SPA)

The Saudi government stressed on Tuesday the Kingdom's firm position in supporting efforts to resolve conflicts through peaceful means. It also stressed the importance of the OPEC+ agreement in achieving balance and stability in the oil markets.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting.

The ministers were briefed on the telephone call Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received from Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and their discussions that focused on aspects of cooperation and opportunities to develop them.

King Salman expressed his gratitude to the people of Saudi Arabia for their well wishes after he underwent medical tests last week. He briefed them on the talks he held in Riyadh on Monday with head of the transitional sovereign council of Sudan, Abdul Fattah al-Burhan.

The government reviewed the visit paid to Saudi Arabia last week by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. It reviewed the talks he held with Crown Prince Mohammed and opportunities to expand bilateral relations with London.

The government condemned the attacks carried out by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen against Saudi civilian locations and vital economic installations. It deemed them a dangerous escalation that reflects the Houthis' response to the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative to hold intra-Yemeni consultations later in March.

The attacks underscore the Houthis' rejection of all international efforts to end the crisis in Yemen and reach a comprehensive political solution.

The government underlined Saudi Arabia's declaration that it will not bear responsibility for any global supply shortage as a result of Houthi attacks on its installations.

Houthi attacks against state-owned Aramco facilities over the weekend caused output to temporarily drop at a refinery.

The government called on the international community to assume responsibility in maintaining energy supplies and to be aware of the danger of Iran supplying the Houthis with ballistic missiles and drones.



GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
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GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed on Wednesday the agreement between the legitimate Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias to de-escalate the situation with regard to the Yemeni banking sector and airlines.

The agreement was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Tuesday.

Albudaiwi expressed the GCC's support for all regional and international efforts and the efforts led by the UN special envoy aimed at achieving peace and security in Yemen.

The announcement underscores the importance the international community attaches to the Yemeni crisis, he added, hoping the agreement will pave the way for Yemeni parties to start the political process, under UN auspices, to reach a comprehensive political solution that achieves security and stability in the country.

He reiterated the GCC's continued support and full solidarity with Yemen, its government and people, and its keenness to encourage all efforts to de-escalate and maintain stability in order to reach peace.