RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Monday called for stronger coordination among Gulf nations to contain escalating regional tensions amid continuing Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.
It came as the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, discussed the latest regional developments, and condemned attacks by the Yemeni militia against civilian sites in Saudi Arabia.
The ministers stressed the need for closer consultations and joint diplomatic efforts to strengthen cooperation among Gulf Cooperation Council member states, support de-escalation and prevent conflicts from spreading across the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Their telephone conversation came a day after a meeting in Bahrain during which GCC foreign ministers condemned the recent, repeated attacks against Saudi Arabia by the Houthis, and reaffirmed their solidarity with the Kingdom and commitment to collective security.
The six members of the council — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain — reiterated that an attack against any single member constituted a threat to all, and invoked the organization’s joint-defense agreement as they backed Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself.
The talks between Prince Faisal and Sheikh Abdullah also followed a visit to Abu Dhabi on Sunday by the Saudi defense minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, where he met the president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional security.
During a separate telephone call on Monday, Prince Faisal and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, also condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. They discussed the latest regional developments and efforts to address security challenges and strengthen regional stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The diplomatic push comes as the Houthis in Yemen have intensified their attacks against the Kingdom this month, targeting Saudi airports, energy infrastructure and civilian areas, including several deadly strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and other airports in the country.
The attacks have disrupted air travel and heightened regional security concerns, as the war between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government continues.