Raab who is on a visit to the West Asian region announced that he met with the Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense on Monday.
"From the regional threat posed by Iran to the ongoing crisis in Yemen and the new challenges of tackling cyber-attacks," he wrote in a Tuesday tweet without mentioning the Saudi invasion of Yemen and the creation of a humanitarian catastrophe in this country.
"@kbsalsaud and I agreed that a strong and enduring UK-Saudi Arabia partnership is vital to tackling the shared threats we face," he added.
Earlier, in another tweet, Raab pointed to his meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying, "Today I met with HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss our shared interests including trade, Iran and climate change. The UK warmly welcomes the Kingdom’s commitment to increasing the use of renewable energy by 50% by 2030"
"Saudi Arabia is a long-standing partner and close friend of the UK, playing a pivotal role in regional stability,” Raab said. “The UK reaffirms our commitment to tackling our shared security challenges, including Iranian threats and the continued conflict in Yemen.”
Raab has previously met with his Saudi counterpart to discuss issues such as trade, climate change and human rights concerns.
Concerns about the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia have increased following the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, as well as the arrest of women activists in the country.
ZZ/ FNA14000318000321
Your Comment