Saudi Arabia is ‘part of the solution’ in Yemen: Mattis
washington — US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday said that Saudi Arabia was “part of the solution” in Yemen, where the Saudis are leading a US-supported military campaign against Houthi rebels.
Mattis spoke at the start of a Pentagon meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is on a three-week US visit.
Mattis said the US is working with the UN’s new envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths of Britain, in pursuit of a political solution to the civil war.
“We believe that Saudi Arabia is part of the solution,” Mattis said. He added: “They have stood by the United Nations-recognised government, and we are going to end this war. That is the bottom line. And we are going to end it on positive terms for the people of Yemen but also security for the nations in the peninsula.”
In prepared remarks, Mattis said the US has a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia in fighting extremists and deterring malign activities by Iran. He said a political settlement in Yemen would protect Saudi Arabia and deny safe haven to terrorists.
“Your significant amounts of humanitarian aid is critical to help the innocent caught up in this conflict (and) we applaud you for that,” he told the crown prince.
Speaking through a translator, Prince Mohammed told Mattis that cooperation between the Pentagon and the kingdom had “improved tremendously.” — AP, Reuters