Boris: I refuse to keep quiet over Saudi Arabia
A DEFIANT Boris Johnson vowed to continue speaking out over Saudi Arabia yesterday, following a summit with the country’s king.
After his bridge-building meeting with the despot, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the strong bonds of friendship between Britain and the desert kingdom.
But he pointedly spoke of the ‘candour’ that exists in our relations with Saudi Arabia, just days after it emerged he had criticised the key ally.
Mr Johnson was slapped down by No10 last week after he was filmed in Rome making the claim that the kingdom was behind ‘proxy wars’ in the Middle East. Riyadh supports the internationally-recognised government of Yemen against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, but thousands of civilians have been killed in bombardments.
Yesterday, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon also criticised his Cabinet colleague, saying: ‘We can’t keep moralising in public about Saudi Arabia.’
But he insisted there was no row between Mr Johnson and the Prime Minister.
His attempt to dampen down the story came amid claims that Downing Street believed it may have overreacted last week. It is understood that all the Foreign Secretary’s Saudi meetings – with King Salman and senior ministers – went well, and that none of his previous comments came up.
At a press conference alongside Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir, Mr Johnson said he had a ‘deep concern’ about the suffering of Yemenis. But he added: ‘Britain supports the Saudi-led campaign to restore the legitimate government and we have continued our dialogue on the conduct of this operation.
‘I’m here to emphasise the friendship that exists between the UK and Saudi Arabia, and that is something that is developing and expanding.
‘And it’s also fair to say that we believe in candour in our relationship. Now is the time for us to talk about the positive things that we are doing together.’ Mr al-Jubeir reiterated that ‘Britain is an ally of Saudi Arabia’s’.
After the Foreign Secretary’s Rome speech, Theresa May’s spokesman said this was Mr Johnson’s opinion and ‘not the Government’s views on Saudi and its role in the region’.
Yesterday on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show, Sir Michael claimed the Foreign Secretary’s comments were misreported.
‘The way it was interpreted left people with the impression that we didn’t support Saudi Arabia and we do,’ he added.
‘Positive things we are doing’