Qatari Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Attiyah.

An emergency meeting of foreign ministers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) here on Saturday expressed deep concerns over the worsening political and security situation in Yemen and asked the United Nations to intervene immediately.

Qatari Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Attiyah, who chaired the extraordinary meeting, called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council (UNSC), to solve the crisis in Yemen.

Al-Attiyah said: “The will of the Yemeni people should be honored in line with the GCC-sponsored initiative for peace and its executive mechanism, as well as the recommendations of the national dialogue.”

The GCC ministers mulled a proposal to formulate a common strategy to respond to the crisis.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah, deputy foreign minister, led the Saudi delegation to the meeting.

The GCC foreign ministers, who asked the warring parties in Yemen to fully abide by the relevant UN resolutions and to comply with the provisions of the GCC initiative, hoped that the people of Yemen will find a consensus-based solution to the current political impasse.

The GCC said that the Gulf bloc remains committed to a stable, peaceful and democratic Yemen, which is in the interest of global peace and security.

The extraordinary meeting, chaired by Qatar’s Foreign Minister Al-Attiyah, discussed “the latest developments in Yemen,” said a SPA report.

Speaking to Arab News, a senior GCC official said that coordination among the six member states was under way to formulate a firm stance toward the situation in Yemen.

The source said that a GCC action plan may be announced soon, which will go beyond just taking some measures or closing the diplomatic missions in that country.

“This Houthi coup is a dangerous escalation, which we reject and is unacceptable,” said the official before the meeting started in Riyadh.

The GCC foreign ministers also urged the UN to take measures against the Houthi power grab and restore legitimacy to Hadi’s outgoing government.

Saudi Arabia has joined several Western states in evacuating staff from Yemen after a power grab by the rebels.

The official said the GCC is aware of Iran’s role in the current turmoil in Yemen, reiterating what has become a common belief over a strong link between the Houthis and Tehran.

Yemen shares a 1,770-km border with GCC states mainly Saudi Arabia to the north and with Oman to the east.

A 2012 Gulf-sponsored initiative facilitated a smooth transition of power in Yemen following a public uprising that demanded the departure of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, foreign minister of Bahrain; Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah; Omani minister responsible for foreign affairs; Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, UAE’s foreign minister; Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, first deputy premier and foreign minister of Kuwait; and Abdullatif Al-Zayani, GCC secretary general.

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