DOHA: Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday called on all parties and political forces involved in the Yemeni crisis to give priority to the interests of the Yemeni people and respect the legitimacy of President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi and his globally recognised government.
Addressing the first working session of the Arab League summit in Sharm El Sheikh, the Emir said the Houthis and the former president (Ali Abdullah Saleh) were responsible for the recent escalation of tensions in Yemen.
He said strenuous efforts had been made to invite the aggressors on peaceful transition process for dialogue in Riyadh, but the Houthis refused, and the former president tried to put forward preconditions. Then, in coordination with Saudi Arabia they were invited for dialogue in Doha, but they also refused.
“This is not just another mistake they made, but rather a behaviour that reflects a systematic approach to impose facts on the ground by force. The legitimate Yemeni president has asked the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to protect the brotherly Yemen, its people, institutions, and stability. Because of these circumstances and out of Arab solidarity, his request has been met,” said the Emir.
“We must all stand beside the legitimacy in Yemen and reject the policy of imposing fait accompli in order to maintain the unity, security and stability of Yemen. Qatar will spare no effort to realise that cooperation with the brothers,” he added.
The Emir and his delegation were received at the airport in Sharm El Sheikh by Egypt President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. The Emir hailed international efforts to peacefully resolve differences with Iran over its nuclear programme. This has always been Qatar’s approach in supporting peace and stability in the Gulf region.
“On this occasion I emphasise the good-neighbourly relations with Iran, which we consider an integral part of our region and our Islamic Umma, and we also emphasise that the good neighbourly relation is also based on respect of sovereignty of other states and non-interference in their internal affairs,” he said.
“The diversity of sects and creeds in our Arab nation is a source of cultural and civilisational richness. It is part of our compound Arab identity, and not a reason for interference in our own affairs,” said the Emir.
The Emir called for a reform of the Arab League on the occasion of its 70th anniversary.
“There is no doubt that the Arab League has continued discharging its duties, in its capacity as a hope for the Arab peoples to achieve solidarity and close their ranks. The faith in its role and status has remained a decisive factor for its survival and continuity. But the Arab League has not lived up to the level of hopes of the peoples and the needs of the Umma at this historic stage,” said the Emir.
“It’s high time now to reform its structures to make it capable of handling challenges facing the Umma. Because historical turning points have proved that no one would stand with us, as Arabs, if we failed to help ourselves and do what should be done,” he added.
The Emir called on the UN Security Council to act decisively to establish an independent Palestinian state since peace negotiations have ended in deadlock.
“Peace negotiations with its various mechanisms and initiatives have ended in deadlock due to continued Israeli intransigence, and there is no use to pursue this course, which has become a cover-up for aggression and settlement activities.
“Hence, we call on the UN Security Council to assume its moral and legal responsibilities and take the initiative to specify necessary actions and measures to end the Israeli occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem,” said the Emir.
The Emir said it is high time the Arabs acted to end the suffering of the Syrian people.
“Hasn’t the time come yet to pose the question: For how long should we be waiting for a foreign action in Syria? The limitation of foreign action in Syria has become crystal clear and there is no need for further speculation or analysis. So when will we, as Arabs, act to end this tragedy in coordination with whom we must coordinate with?” asked the Emir.
He said: “The phenomenon of terrorism couldn’t be separated from a build-up of many factors over the past decades, such as the desperation of the losers from the modernisation process that is devoid of development, and the despair about the possibility of peaceful change because the security-oriented state has blocked all reform potentials, in addition to the sectarian exclusion policies, and social marginalisation, etc.”
“Terrorism should not be justified, whatever the reasons are. We all condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations... On the long-run the causes and factors which led to its emergence must be addressed, while differentiating between terrorism and resisting occupation and the peoples’ right to struggle for self-determination,” he added.
Before the summit, the Emir met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and discussed ways of developing relations in all fields for the welfare and interest of the two countries and brotherly peoples. Talks at Sharm El Sheikh International Airport also tackled regional and international issues of mutual interest, means of strengthening Arab solidarity and joint action and topics listed on the agenda of the summit.
The Emir also met leaders of Arab countries and heads of delegations taking part in the summit. They included Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud,
H M Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman’s Representative Sayyid Asaad bin Tareq Al Said, and Abdul Qadir bin Saleh, President, Algerian National Assembly, and representative of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Later, the Emir left Sharm El Sheikh. He and his delegation were seen off at the airport by Egyptian Health Minister Dr Adel Adawi. The Emir sent a cable to Al Sisi, expressing thanks and appreciation for the hospitality and warm reception accorded to him and his delegation.
The Peninsula/QNA
ADEN: Saudi Arabia’s navy evacuated dozens of diplomats from Yemen yesterday and the United Nations pulled out international staff after a third night of Saudi-led air strikes trying to stem advances by Iranian-allied Houthi fighters.
In Sana’a, the United Nations said most of its 100 international staff were evacuated. Airport officials said dozens of other foreigners working for international oil companies and NGOs also flew out to Ethiopia and Djibouti. Eighty-six foreign diplomats and Saudi nationals were shipped out of Aden to Jeddah, a Saudi military officer said.
Riyadh’s intervention is planned to last a month but could extend for five or six, a Gulf diplomatic source said.
The source said Yemen’s military had about 300 Scuds, the bulk of them believed to be in the hands of Houthis, and that the campaign so far had destroyed 21 of them. A spokesman for the Saudi-led operations said air strikes had destroyed most of the Houthis’ ballistic missile capabilities.
Residents reported heavy clashes between the Houthis and Sunni tribal fighters in the south of the country, while the air campaign sought to stall a fresh offensive by the Shia group on Aden from the east. The director general of Yemen’s Health Ministry, Al Khadher Laswar, said over 62 people had been killed and 452 wounded since Wednesday.
At the Arab League summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Yemen’s President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi urged his Arab allies to keep up the bombing raids in his country until the Houthi rebels surrender, branding them Iran’s “puppet”. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz told the summit that the operation would continue until Yemen achieved peace and security. After the summit, Hadi flew with King Salman to Riyadh, rather than trying to return to Aden.
Agencies
