October 12, 2024

Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi Before Their Meeting

Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi Before Their Meeting

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  (In progress) under leadership of the president and the leadership council, we’ve now had 14 months of relative calm that has saved lives and improved livelihoods.  And in and of itself, that’s a very, very positive development.  But there is also the – hopefully the opportunity and, we believe, the imperative to find a durable, lasting peace.  And UN-mediated, Yemeni-led talks are essential to reaching that goal of sustainable and lasting peace.  So I look forward to hearing from our colleagues, from the president, their assessment of the situation and the prospects, and also to continue to learn what the United States can do to support these critical efforts.  But we – we’re in a much better place than we were 14 months ago, but in order to really make this lasting, a lot more work has to be done.  And I welcome the opportunity to talk about that with you today.  Welcome.

PRESIDENT AL-ALIMI:  (Via interpreter)  (Inaudible) very much, Your Excellency, Mr. Secretary.  (Inaudible) prior meetings, and I always look forward to meeting Your Excellency and discussing the situation in my country, your efforts and the efforts of the United States and its stance towards the Yemeni issue and the war in Yemen.  We look forward to the continued support of the United States to the Presidential Council and the government in all fields, political, economic, and others.  And we look forward to the – a great role of the United States in the process of bringing peace to my country, and that these efforts be complimented with the efforts of our brothers here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in bringing the peace that we all aspire to.  And we hope that this peace will be an equitable, comprehensive, and permanent.  Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

Official news published at https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-yemeni-presidential-leadership-council-president-rashad-al-alimi-before-their-meeting/