Yemeni Presidency welcomes visit of Saudi-UAE military team
Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The Yemeni Presidency welcomed the visit of a Saudi-Emirati military team to the interim capital, Aden, aimed at reducing tensions and restoring normalcy in the eastern provinces of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra.
The Yemeni Presidency affirmed that the visit is part of the efforts of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to strengthen the unity of the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni government, as well as to restore normalcy to the eastern provinces.
The Presidential Office said that Saudi Arabia is playing a pivotal role in leading de-escalation efforts, stemming from its continued commitment to the security and stability of Yemen and its people, and to improve their living conditions, the official Yemeni news agency Saba reported quoting a source at the Presidential Office.
The source indicated that Riyadh's ongoing efforts since the outbreak of the crisis in the eastern Yemeni governorates have focused on restoring normalcy, respecting the governing frameworks of the transitional phase, primarily the declaration on the transfer of power and the Riyadh Agreement.
The source said that the consultations carrying out by the joint military team in Aden aimed to rectify recent unilateral actions, including the withdrawal of any forces brought in from outside the eastern governorates, enabling the government and local authorities to perform their duties in accordance with the constitution and the law, and refraining from challenging their exclusive powers.
The source added that the country's leadership believes that any further escalation would squander the gains achieved, divert attention from the fight against the Houthi militias, undermine economic reform efforts, and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the country.
The presidential source affirmed the Yemeni leadership's commitment to prioritizing political solutions and supporting the efforts of the country’s brothers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with working closely with regional and international partners to maintain unity in the face of the Houthi terrorist threat, which is backed by the Iranian regime."
Since the escalation of events in eastern Yemen, Riyadh has been quick to reject the unilateral actions taken by the Southern Transitional Council in Hadramawt. Riyadh considers these actions as a blatant violation of the transitional phase framework in Yemen, an undermining of the legitimate government's authority, a serious threat to stability and the future of the political process in Yemen, and an attempt to circumvent all legal and political frameworks and adopt the Houthi militia's approach in Yemen.
It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia recently categorically rejected the Southern Transitional Council's control over Hadramawt Governorate. It also denounced any actions that could create an atmosphere of tension and mistrust within Yemen, and warned against attempts to impose a new reality by force or drag the governorate into internal conflicts.
The Saudi delegation, headed by Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Qahtani, arrived in Hadramawt recently in its bid to calm down the situation amid heightened tensions. Hadhramawt is currently experiencing significant unrest as the Southern Transitional Council (STC) launched a major offensive in early December, largely displacing the Hadhramawt Tribal Alliance (HTA) and other government forces in key areas.
