ANSD : Yemen, Iran, Khashoggi murder top Pompeo's talks in Saudi

TUE 26 - 11 - 2024

Date: Jan 14, 2019
Source: The Daily Star

Yemen, Iran, Khashoggi murder top Pompeo's talks in Saudi

RIYADH: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks in Saudi Arabia Monday on a range of Mideast crises, topped by the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, threats from Iran and the Saudi response to the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

Pompeo met with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on the latest stop of his Middle East tour that has so far been dominated by questions and concerns about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.

The State Department said Monday that Pompeo would cancel his planned final stop in Kuwait Tuesday due a death in his family. He will still travel to Oman later Monday.

In Riyadh, the fight against Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, where the situation has been deemed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, was a major agenda item, as well as holding perpetrators accountable for Khashoggi's slaying.

Pompeo and the crown prince agreed on the importance of a de-escalation in military operations in war-torn Yemen.

"On #Yemen, agreed on need for continued de-escalation and adherence to Sweden agreements, especially cease-fire and redeployment in #Hudaydah," the U.S. embassy in Riyadh tweeted after a meeting between Pompeo and the prince.

Speaking with senior Saudi officials on his arrival in Riyadh late Sunday, Pompeo stressed the importance of supporting a political solution to end Yemen's civil war and "the need for continued regional efforts to stand against the Iranian regime's malign activity and to advance peace, prosperity, and security," the State Department said.

Pompeo told the crown prince Monday that his Middle East journey, which has taken him to Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, had been "good" so far.

"I want to talk to you about a couple of places we've been. We think we learned a lot along the way that will be important going forward," he said.

The prince replied that the Saudis would "try to add more positivity, as much as we can."

The State Department said Pompeo also made clear the importance of a credible investigation into Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October.

Pompeo "emphasized the importance of Saudi Arabia continuing its investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in order to ascertain facts, assess information, and hold those responsible accountable."

The relationship between Riyadh and Washington remains tense following Khashoggi's brutal slaying and dismemberment at the consulate. Members of Prince Mohammad's entourage have been implicated in the killing and U.S. lawmakers have demanded America pull back its support of the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

"We will continue to have a conversation with the crown prince and the Saudis about ensuring that the accountability is full and complete with respect to the unacceptable murder of Jamal Khashoggi," Pompeo told reporters in Qatar Sunday before heading to Riyadh.

"We'll continue to talk about that and make sure we have all the facts so that they are held accountable certainly by the Saudis, but by the United States as well, where appropriate."

The ongoing dispute between Qatar and four of America's other close Arab partners will also feature in Pompeo's talks as it continues to be a major hindrance in a U.S.-led effort to unite the Gulf Arab states, Egypt and Jordan in a military alliance to counter Iran.

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