RIYADH — Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Khalid Bin Salman met here on Thursday the British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab.

During the meeting, they discussed the strategic partnership, bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them between the two countries, in addition to reviewing the regional and international efforts, and the most prominent issues of common interest.

Raab reiterated the need for a political solution to the Yemen crisis as he held talks with Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi here.

“The Yemen conflict is one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian disasters. All parties must urgently de-escalate and come to the table before more lives are needlessly lost,” Raab wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, Raab met Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, National Security Adviser Dr. Musaad Al Aiban and Prince Khalid Bin Bandar, Saudi ambassador to the UK.

Raab later met with Adel Al-Jubeir, the minister of state for foreign affairs.

In talks with Prince Faisal and Al-Jubeir, Raab said they discussed the Yemen peace process and climate change. “Look forward to making progress by working closely together,” Raab said after the talks.

Raab is on his first visit as Foreign Minister to the Gulf and was in Oman on Monday and Turkey on Tuesday.

He described Saudi Arabia as “one of our closest trade partners” ahead of discussions that were expected to focus on regional stability and the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. – SG