American and European leaders reiterated their support for the Saudi-led coalition, and agreed to extend all technical and logistical help to contain the Houthis’ growing influence, and reinstate the legitimate government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in Yemen. Similar sentiments of support were also echoed by Riyadh-based foreign diplomats on Saturday.
“American President Barack Obama renewed his support to the Saudi-led military operation and pledged to defend the security and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia during a telephone conversation with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman,” said an SPA report.
British Prime Minister David Cameron also announced full support for coalition, while speaking to King Salman via phone.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Spanish King Felipe VI, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif were among a number of world leaders, who lent full support to the coalition of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. All these leaders spoke to King Salman via phone.
Speaking in Washington on Saturday, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that Britain “would provide technical support to Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen under the allies’ existing close military relationship.”
Asked what practical support Britain could provide, he said: “Political support, of course. And logistical and technical support.”
“The UK’s position is very much aligned with the US position — we back the Saudi activity as a legitimate intervention on the behalf of the legitimate government of Yemen,” he said.
At the moment, mainly regional countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan and Egypt are involved in the military action. But, several friendly countries have committed support, including troops, if needed.
Referring to the German support to the Saudi-led coalition, Michael Ohnmacht, charge d’affaires at the German Embassy, said that “Saudi Arabia and the coalition partners responded to the request of legitimate Yemeni President Hadi … Germany has called on all warring Yemeni factions to return to serious dialogue and creditable political process as a matter of urgency,” he said.
France, on the other hand, has lent strong support to Operation Decisive Storm, said Patrick Durel, spokesman of the French Embassy, while referring to the telephone conversation between King Salman and French President Francois Hollande on Saturday.
He pointed out that Prince Mohammed bin Salman, defense minister, and French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also talked to each other over phone, and discussed “cooperation in the field of intelligence and equipment deployed by the forces.”
In Riyadh, Nicola Woodget, spokeswoman of the British Embassy, said: “We support the Saudi military intervention in Yemen following President Hadi’s request for support by ‘all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter Houthi aggression.’ As the UN Security Council has made clear, Hadi is Yemen’s legitimate president.”
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