KSA must resolve problems in region before they "consume all of us" - FM

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (KUNA) -- Saudi Arabia has a "tremendous stake" in security of Middle East and must "resolve the problems in the region before they consume all of us," Kingdom's Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir told reporters at the State Department Monday.
Standing alongside Secretary of State John Kerry for remarks after their private meeting, Al-Jubeir said he is "determined to work with our allies in the United States" to bring stability to the region.
Kerry expressed gratitude to King Salman and the Saudis "for their solid efforts to help deal with the coalition against (the so-called Islamic State group) Daesh, their commitment recently of a willingness to put troops into that fight also, and there are many steps that we have taken with the GCC countries that are very critical to the ongoing security of the region." He revealed that his closed-door meeting with Al-Jubeir focused on "trying to get the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) to be in a position to be able to move towards full humanitarian access and a full ceasefire, which is in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254." He noted that a follow up meeting with his Saudi counterpart will take place in Munich, Germany, on Thursday, at an international meeting proposed by Moscow.
Kerry and Al-Jubeir also discussed the ongoing war in Yemen, "and the hope that perhaps over the course of these next weeks it may become possible to try to engage in some productive conversations about how to bring that conflict to a close," Kerry said.
Finally, on efforts toward a final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Kerry quoted Al-Jubeir as saying that Saudi Arabia " ... which was the creator of the Arab Peace Initiative (in 2002) ... are deeply invested in wanting to try to make peace in that part of the world and see a two-state solution implemented." (end) ys.bs