“Brennan arrived Thursday for talks with Saudi officials and left for the UAE after a brief stopover in the port city of Jeddah,” said a US Embassy official in Riyadh on Thursday night.
He confirmed that Brennan visited three countries — Saudi Arabia, Sudan and the UAE as part of the trip.
He, however, refused to provide details of the talks with Saudi officials. “As part of close consultations with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners, Brennan goes to Saudi Arabia and the UAE for meetings with government officials to discuss options to address the deteriorating situation in Yemen,” said a White House statement on Thursday.
Before his departure from the US, Brennan called on Saleh to devolve power and urged Yemeni opposition groups to work for a peaceful transition. Brennan said the US was deeply concerned over the deteriorating situation in Yemen.
Brennan added that “a commitment by all sides to participate in an open and transparent process that addresses the legitimate concerns of the Yemeni people provides an orderly path to a stronger and more prosperous nation.”
He sought the help of the leaders of the Kingdom and the UAE to pressure Saleh to accept the GCC-brokered peace deal without wasting time.
Brennan’s visit is an indication of growing concerns on the part of the US and its allies over the deteriorating situation in Yemen, a GCC spokesman said. The tragic events underscore “the need for President Saleh to sign the GCC-brokered transition proposal and to begin the transfer of power immediately,” he added.
