WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday spoke separately with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia about the ongoing tensions in Yemen, the U.S. State Department said.
"Secretary Rubio spoke with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the situation in Yemen and broader issues affecting Middle Eastern security and stability," said the State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott in a statement.
In a separate statement, Pigott said Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud about "the ongoing tensions in Yemen and discussed issues impacting regional security and stability."
Tensions have escalated in Yemen in recent days as UAE-backed separatist forces known as the Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized large swathes of the oil-rich Hadramout and Al-Mahrah regions. Riyadh considers these two areas a "red line" due to their proximity to Saudi Arabia and concentration of Yemen's remaining energy reserves.
In response to the STC's advances, the Saudi cabinet on Tuesday called on the UAE to end all support for separatist groups, signaling a sharp public rift between the two Gulf powers. ■
