Saudi Arabia talk of "very successful" air strikes
(15 Apr 2015) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY SHOTLIST ++VIDEO AS INCOMING++ AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY Washington - 15 April 2015 1. Saudi Ambassador to the US Adel Al-Jubeir walks into briefing 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the US: "The operation today is in its third week in terms of the air campaign. It has been very, very successful. In fact it is proceeding beyond its initial, not objectives, but goals. The air campaign has been able to degrade and destroy much of the military infrastructure that the Houthis and Ali Abdullah Saleh possess." 3. Reporter asking question 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the US: "I would not describe the military operations in Yemen as a proxy war with Iran. I would describe it as a war of necessity." 5. Reporters at briefing 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the US: "These are his personal remarks and he's entitled to expressing his opinion but I disagree with them completely. There's no logic to those remarks. Saudi Arabia has no ambitions beyond its borders. We have no ambitions territorially or otherwise in Yemen other than to see stability, and security, and safety in Yemen." 7. Pan of briefing 8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the US: "Our friends in the US have been very supportive of us in terms of intelligence and in terms of logistics and for that we are very appreciative. I have not heard any US official tell me that the operations were not proceeding well and I have not heard any US official indicate to me or give me a sense that Saudi Arabia has ambitions beyond its borders. I don't know how the Iraqi prime minister got that assessment. But I would think that the Iraqis should really focus on the problems that are in their own country and find ways to move the country towards reconciliation." 9. Ambassador shaking hands with reporters STORYLINE: Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US said on Wednesday the country's air strikes targeting Yemeni rebels known as Houthis had been "very, very successful." The Saudi-led coalition air strikes began on March 26 in an effort to halt their advance across the Arab world's poorest country. Hundreds have been killed and over 121,000 have been displaced. The Houthis have captured Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and forced Western and Gulf-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee the country. Shiite powerhouse Iran has helped the Houthis with aid and political support, but they both deny Tehran is arming the rebels, an assertion made by Hadi, the Saudis and the United States. Adel Al-Jubeir, the Saudi Ambassador to the US said the air strikes were not part of a proxy war with Iran. Al-Jubeir also addressed comments made to reporters by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi who is currently visiting Washington. Al-Abadi said he saw "no logic" to the Saudi operation and said he believed the Obama administration agreed with Baghdad that outside military involvement must end. Asked about efforts to attain a ceasefire in Yemen, al-Abadi said his understanding from the Obama administration was that "the Saudis are not helpful in this. They don't want a ceasefire now." Asked later about those comments, al-Jubeir said the Iraqi prime minister was entitled to his opinion about Saudi involvement in Yemen, but would be better off focusing on Iraq's domestic problems, in particular its need for reconciliation with Sunnis and Kurds. =========================================================== Clients are reminded: Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
