RIYADH: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern on Thursday with actions by the Houthi militia that are cutting Yemenis off from resources and impeding the flow of goods inside of Yemen.
During a meeting in Riyadh with the president of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi, Blinken said parties to the conflict in the country must “come together to reach a new, more comprehensive agreement to end the war.”
The secretary of state welcomed the Presidential Leadership Council’s continued support for UN-led peace efforts and for measures to bring immediate relief to Yemenis.
He also reiterated that a UN-led peace process will give Yemenis the opportunity to address critical questions facing the country, durably resolve the conflict, and chart a brighter future for Yemen.
Blinken also met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr. Fuad Hussein at the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh Ministerial in the Saudi capital, the US State Department said.
The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and “reaffirmed the principles in the US-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement,” Spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
He “encouraged” the Iraqi government on its efforts to become energy independent and to increase innovation in its energy sector, and underscored US support for Iraq and Turkiye to quickly find a way to re-open the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline.
Blinken also reiterated the US remains committed to assisting the government to achieve a secure, stable, and sovereign future, including the enduring defeat of Daesh.
