British minister calls for end to Yemen war

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British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt met Saudi Arabia's King Salman in Riyadh on Monday on a visit to press for an end to the war in Yemen and for Saudi leaders to cooperate with an investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Hunt is due to meet later with the kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a main proponent of the Saudi military intervention in Yemen.

The visit comes as Riyadh, already under scrutiny for civilian deaths in Yemen air strikes, is facing global criticism and potential sanctions over Khashoggi's killing inside its Istanbul consulate on October 2.

"The human cost of war in Yemen is incalculable: with millions displaced, famine and disease rife and years of bloodshed, the only solution is now a political decision to set aside arms and pursue peace," Hunt said in a statement ahead of the trip.

"So today I am traveling to the Gulf to demand that all sides commit to this process."

Britain is a major arms supplier to Saudi Arabia and opposition politicians and human rights groups have called on the government to cease such sales due to the high civilian death toll in air raids by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

After arriving, Hunt discussed bilateral relations and regional events with King Salman in a meeting attended by Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and Britain's ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, state news agency SPA reported.

The foreign ministry said Hunt would also meet Crown Prince Mohammed, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Yemeni Vice President Ali Mohsen and Foreign Minister Khaled Al Yamani.

Meanwhile, on Khashoggi's death, Hunt urged more revelation about the case and called for cooperation from the Saudi government with the investigation.

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Source(s): Reuters