UK Foreign Minister tells Yemeni President political solution only way forward

In Riyadh Dominic Raab also held talks with high-level Saudi officials including King Salman

Dominic Raab is on his first Gulf visit as Foreign Minister. AFP

UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab reiterated the need for a political solution to the Yemen crisis as he held talks with Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi in Riyadh.

“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,” Mr Raab wrote on Twitter.

Earlier Saudi Arabia’s King Salman met with Mr Raab on Thursday in Riyadh to discuss regional issues.

They also discussed Saudi-UK relations and “international issues of common interest,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Also present were Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, National Security Adviser Dr Musaad Al Aiban and Prince Khalid bin Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UK.

Mr Raab later met with Adel Al Jubeir, the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

In talks with Prince Faisal and Mr Al Jubeir, Mr Raab said they discussed the Yemen peace process and climate change.

“Look forward to making progress by working closely together,” Mr Raab said.

He 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 the that were expected to focus on regional stability and the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.