Abu Dhabi Crown Prince meets Saudi King, discusses Yemen

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan landed in Jeddah on Monday for an official visit, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

He was welcomed at the airport by Saudi Arabia’s deputy defence minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

ولي عهد #أبوظبي يصل إلى #جدة وسمو نائب وزير الدفاع في مقدمة مستقبليه.https://t.co/pLp6o5H5ju#واس pic.twitter.com/6mZpQMU5jS

— واس (@spagov) August 12, 2019

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed later held talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the royal court palace in Mina, SPA reported.

During the meeting, the leaders discussed the situation in the region, especially with regards to Yemen, and the efforts exerted towards improving it.

Sheikh Mohamed also met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in Mina. The two leaders exchanged Eid greetings and “reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and the opportunities of developing them”, the report stated.

The meeting between the leaders comes after the Saudi-led coalition – which includes the UAE – announced on Sunday that it had intervened in Aden on Sunday in support of the Yemeni government following clashes with southern separatists, which began on Wednesday.

The coalition said it attacked an area that posed a “direct threat” to the government, without providing details.

On Sunday night, the president of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) Aidaroos al-Zubaidi said it is willing to work with the Saudi-led coalition to ease the crisis and to continue to fight “Iranian expansion”.

He added the council was willing to attend an emergency meeting called by Riyadh on the latest developments.

(With inputs from Reuters)