WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir met in Paris on Monday to discuss Middle East security issues and combating terrorism, the Department of State announced in a press release on Monday.
"The two ministers exchanged views on the Yemeni peace talks being held in Kuwait, and the Secretary expressed the US government’s appreciation for the key role Saudi Arabia continues to play in combating terrorism and AQAP [al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula] in Yemen, in particular," the release noted.
In addition to Kerry and al-Jubeir, foreign ministers from the European Union, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom have been invited to meet with Riad Hijab, the head of the western-backed Syrian opposition coalition, in Paris this week in an effort to relaunch the Syria peace process.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. A ceasefire brokered by the United States and Russia came into force across the country on February 27 and was extended last week to the Aleppo province.
