RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is open to a meeting of all Yemeni political parties willing to preserve Yemen's security and stability, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman said on Monday. Presiding over the weekly session of the Council of Ministers at Al-Yamamah Palace here, the King emphasized that such a meeting must be under the umbrella of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the framework of preserving Yemen's legitimacy and rejecting the coup against it, the Saudi Press Agency reported. King Salman told the Cabinet the conditions for the talks would include returning weapons to state authorities and not threatening the security of Yemen's neighbors. In a statement to SPA following the session, Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Turaifi said the King thanked the countries which are taking part in the ongoing “Decisive Storm” operation as well as the countries from all over the world for their support and backing for the operation. The Cabinet thanked King Salman for the wise decision taken by Saudi Arabia and the brotherly and friendly countries participating in the operation in response to a request by Yemen's President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi to protect Yemen and its people from the aggression of Houthi militias who are supported by regional powers whose aim is to wield their hegemony over Yemen and make it a base for dominating the region. Al-Turaifi said the Cabinet also lauded the decisions of the Arab Summit and the Sharm El-Sheikh Declaration pertaining to the military intervention in Yemen. The Cabinet noted that the Summit fully welcomed and supported the operation being carried out by the coalition forces to defend the legitimacy in Yemen and protect its people. Meanwhile, the Cabinet condemned the continued Israeli violations against the unarmed Palestinian people, reiterating the Kingdom's demand to the international community to mount pressure on Israel and force it to implement international resolutions for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the territories occupied by it since 1967. The Cabinet noted that the Israeli prime minister's recent statements and pledges not to establish a Palestinian state constitute a flagrant challenge to international will, the principles of legitimacy, and resolutions and agreements with regard to the Palestine state. The Cabinet urged the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in confronting these aggressive policies, as well as to restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people with the establishment of an independent and viable state. Al-Turaifi said the Cabinet authorized President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy or his deputy to discuss with the officials of Finland and Hungary the modalities on signing draft agreements in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy.
