Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir and Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Thursday a proposal for a 5-day ceasefire in Yemen to conduct humanitarian missions in a joint press conference in Riyadh.
After the truce was proposed, Saudi Arabia intensified its airstrikes against the main Shiite rebel stronghold in Yemen, with warplanes carrying out more than 50 strikes overnight and early on Friday, Saudi and Yemeni officials said, as it was unclear as to whether the ceasefire was accepted by Houthi forces. A report today in the Associated Press citing the Saudi Press Agency said that Saudi warplanes “destroyed a land-mine factory, a telecommunications complex and command centers in Saada” in today’s strikes.
Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir at the Saudi Ministry of Interior in Riyadh this week.
“The security situation on the ground in Yemen has limited the ability of many foreign governments to provide direct assistance to their citizens remaining in Yemen and all on-the-ground consular services for U.S. citizens in Yemen continue to be suspended,” the State Department said in a statement.
Following yesterday’s press conference, Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Al-Jubeir met again today, but this time the meeting was in Paris, France with other GCC diplomatic counterparts, in what has been a busy start for the highly-regarded former Saudi Ambassador to the United States.
“I would like to stress the keenness of Saudi Arabia and its commitments that there will be a political process in Yemen that will lead to the solution of this crisis peacefully,” Al-Jubeir said at the joint press conference on Thursday. “Saudi Arabia is working for the interest and the dignity of our Yemeni brothers, whether in Yemen or in Saudi Arabia.”
Proud first counterpart to visit new Saudi FM Adel al-Jubeir. Share nearly 30 years of friendship & cooperation pic.twitter.com/WstJz9J79S
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) May 7, 2015
