Riyadh, Aden- Asharq Al-Awsat , 29 Nov. 2016- A Gulf official told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states were discussing the possibility of placing Houthis and a number of other groups on the council’s joint list of terror.
On Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior will chair in Riyadh the 35th meeting of GCC interior ministers, expected to discuss security issues facing the growing security challenges in the region.
According to informed sources, GCC states are currently working to prepare an electronic system for a joint list of terrorist organizations.
Asked by Asharq Al-Awsat whether the undersecretaries of GCC interior ministers had discussed the issue of listing Houthi groups on the list of terrorist organizations during their last meeting in Riyadh, GCC Assistant Secretary-General for Security Affairs Hazza’a Al-Hajri said: “Currently, we are discussing the issue. God willing, it will see the light very soon.”
And while other reports said Oman might have reservations on parts of this suggestion, an official with the Omani delegation participating in the preparatory meeting for the undersecretaries of GCC interior ministers refused to confirm or deny the report.
Undersecretary of the Saudi Ministry of Interior Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Salem said that Gulf States confront terrorism in all its forms and types.
Dr. Salem said during their meeting, the conferees would tackle a number of issues relevant to efforts to strengthen security cooperation and coordination among Arab Gulf states.
Meanwhile, in Aden, Houthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Monday the formation of a “national salvation” government in Yemen.
The announcement is considered an escalatory step that came few hours before the expected visit of U.N. envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed to Aden, where he will meet with President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to revive peace talks between warring parties.
