Prince Faisal asks world to back Saudi-led coalition

BERLIN: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan met German Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas in Berlin on Friday. During the meeting, bilateral relations between the two countries were discussed, foreign media reported.

After the meeting, the two ministers held a joint press conference during which Prince Faisal described the relations between Saudi Arabia and Germany as historical and strong. He stressed that there was close cooperation between the two countries in several fields, including economically and in terms of political consultation, and said he looked forward to intensifying this cooperation.

Prince Faisal condemned the twin shootings in the German city of Hanau on Thursday, emphasizing the Kingdom’s solidarity with Germany and the families of the victims, and expressing his grief over what happened.

He pointed out that his talks with his German counterpart were fruitful and constructive and focused on bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them, in addition to developments in the Middle East. “There is general agreement in views regarding the necessity of promoting peaceful solutions to resolve disputes,” he said. “We also discussed the situation in Yemen, and I explained the recent negative developments, including the missile attacks on civilian cities by the Houthis and their continuous military escalation, which indicates they are not serious about seeking a political solution to this crisis.

“We therefore encourage all international actors to stress the importance of supporting the (Saudi-led) coalition and the legitimate Yemeni government’s efforts to find a political solution,” he added. Prince Faisal commended the international community’s stance towards the actions of the Houthi militias, and condemnation for the rebels’ prevention of aid reaching parts of Yemen.

He said that he discussed with Maas the regional situation, in particular Iranian interventions in the Middle East, in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. He reviewed the Kingdom’s position on the importance of continuing pressure on Iran until it heads in a peaceful direction, and avoids intervening in the affairs of its neighbors.