Only a political solution can end the war in Yemen US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Oman’s minister responsible for foreign affairs agreed on Monday during a visit to Washington. The most senior US diplomat met Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah to discuss a range of issues related to Gulf security and the Middle East. Mr Pompeo thanked Mr Abdullah for Oman’s “partnership, including its recent participation in the Middle East Strategic Alliance [MESA] General Conference and for Oman’s cooperation on security and counterterrorism issues.” MESA, dubbed the Arab Nato, would bring together Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman Egypt and the US in a military alliance to promote stability and security in the region. On Yemen, Mr Pompeo and Mr Abdullah discussed a recent agreement reached in Riyadh between the Yemeni government and the Southern Transition Council to end a standoff around the strategic city of Aden. The pair agreed that only a political solution would bring an end to the Yemeni conflict and ensure peace, prosperity, and security in Yemen. A statement from the State Department said they also discussed “the importance of a united Gulf Cooperation Council to advancing prosperity, security, and stability in the region.”
