Pakistan urges Houthis to end provocative Red Sea actions
UN envoy Asim Iftikhar Ahmad describes attacks against Saudi Arabia as open and unprovoked aggression and reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Saudi sovereignty: Turkey announces new diplomatic push to end Yemen war: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says involving Saudi Arabia in US-Iran conflict was unacceptable
Pakistan has called on Yemen’s Houthi militia to end provocative actions in the Red Sea, warning that continued attacks could have serious consequences for maritime security and regional peace, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the Houthi attacks were creating serious risks for navigation and stability in the region.
He called for the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandab Strait in accordance with international law.
Asim Iftikhar also condemned Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, describing them as open and unprovoked aggression. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He warned that continued attacks around the strategic waterway could affect international trade, commercial shipping, global supply chains and energy security.
He also called for urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from developing into a wider regional confrontation.
Meanwhile, Turkey has announced new diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Yemen.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saudi Arabia might have certain military requirements because of the continuing Houthi attacks and that Turkey would consider those needs under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which also includes Pakistan.
Fidan said proposals aimed at ending the fighting in Yemen had been conveyed to all sides. He said there were several initiatives under discussion, but the parties would need to accept them for the efforts to succeed.
The Turkish foreign minister also said it was unacceptable for Saudi Arabia to be drawn into the war between the United States and Iran, arguing that Riyadh did not want to become part of the conflict.
Fidan said the Middle East crisis had reached a point where its economic consequences were becoming increasingly difficult to tolerate. He called for the parties to consider new proposals aimed at ending the fighting.