Riyadh Conference on 'Saving Yemen and Building Federal State' concluded its activities at the Conference Palace here today in the presence of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi of the Republic of Yemen; Yemeni Vice-President and Prime Minister Dr. Khalid Bahah; Secretary General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani; a number of representatives of political parties; Yemeni society and youth organizations as well as tribal leaders and social figures. The Conference started its final session with the national anthem. Then, 'Riyadh Declaration' was read where all its articles confirmed that they represent a national choice to support legitimacy and the principle of national partnership for the people of Yemen; north and south on which the transition process was launched and the basis for the construction of the cycle, and categorically refuse the rule of militias and mess project of the collapse of State's institutions and flare of sectarian and territorial conflict, where the man's dignity is lost and its rights violated and in which regional and international security and peace are threatened. The following is the text of 'Riyadh Declaration': The corruption of regime's head in Yemen has led for more than 30 years to involve Yemen in conflicts and wars since 1994, affected the south and north alike, as poor governance led to the deterioration of the economic, social and security situation, and the worsening of the political crisis until the emergence of the southern peaceful movement in the south in 2007 and the outbreak of peaceful and popular youth revolution in 2011, and to prevent bloodshed, GCC's initiative launched with its executive mechanism to achieve the process of peaceful change and based on it a transition period was identified where one of its achievements was the election of brother Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi as a consensus President of the republic and stop of economic and security deterioration as well as the success of the national dialogue and the recognition of South cause as a just political cause and finding solutions for it and the approval of the comprehensive national dialogue's document on January 25, 2014, and the completion of a draft constitution in December 2014, and all this represented a real desire of the people; north and south in turning the page of the past and proceeding forward in the development of the basic building blocks to build the federal civil state through compatibility among components of the people in the north and the south, and to continue in the implementation of the remaining tasks of the stipulated transitional period in the GCC's initiative and its executive mechanism and document of the comprehensive national dialogue.With the insistence of the Yemeni people and their good political and civil forces in the completion of their project to build the modern civil State, the Houthi militias allied with Ali Abdullah Saleh in the coup against the constitutional legitimacy and rushed to undermine the peaceful transition process by force and throw the country into the stage of armed conflict, and have taken over areas successively until the occupation of the capital Sanaa on September 21, 2014, with the abduction of State's institutions, the seizure of the armed forces, putting the President of the Republic, his Prime Minister and members of the Government under house arrest and the use of their military in systematic expansion and destruction of the cities of Yemen, especially the cities of Aden and Taiz. In response to the invitation of President of the Republic, the Riyadh conference was held and attended by all national political and social forces, aware of the magnitude of the tragedy and collapse reached in the country, the desire of the lineup together to counter a coup against the legitimate and address of the project of conspiratorial destructive to Yemen backed by Iran which has been engaged these militias and its ally to shake the security and stability of Yemen and the region, and out of its belief and real commitment to the defense of the homeland as an urgent duty on all of citizens , all the components and personalities participating in the conference have confirmed that there are a high priority stands in front of it now to develop a project in which everyone, without exception, is engaged according to the earnest vision to restore the state and the victory of legitimacy, and to extend its authority over the entire national territory with steadfastness, heroisms and brilliant exploits of the popular resistance on the ground in the city of Aden and in Dali, Taiz, Lahij, Abyan, Marib, Shabwa, Al-Beida and other cities and villages north and south of Yemen. Aware of all these forces and political bodies to the size placed on its responsibility, and a desire to develop the people's aspirations to build a modern state according to the principles and outputs of a comprehensive national dialogue and through compatibility between the components of the people in the north and south and in an effort to achieve a better tomorrow, all parties and social figures participating the Conference approved the items that have been discussed and formed the whole road map contained in this Declaration called 'Riyadh Declaration', under the slogan, 'Saving Yemen and Building the Federal State'. Based on the above mentioned, Riyadh Declaration has adopted a serious practical national vision to restore the state and rearrange the regional and international relations to meet the ambitions of Yemeni people to build a modern federal democratic state that seeks justice, is established on equal citizenship of all the people, enhances the role of Yemen in the Gulf -Arab surroundings, achieves regional security and interacts positively with the rest of the members of the international community. Emanating from Security Council Resolution (2216), which welcomed the holding of Riyadh conference, and supporting for the negotiations under the patronage of United Nations, the conference looks forward to achieving the aspirations of the Yemeni people according to this declaration. So this declaration with all its items represents national choice to support the legitimacy and the principle of national partnership for all the people of Yemen's north and south on which the transitional process was based and is considered as the basis for the project of building the state and absolute rejection to the rule of militias and the project of chaos in which all the state's institutions are collapsed , the sectarian and regional conflict is flared, the human dignity is lost, human rights are violated , and regional international peace and security are threatened . This declaration aims to achieve the following: 1 - To maintain the security and stability of Yemen in the framework of adherence to legitimacy. 2 - To reject the coup and put an end to its consequences. 3 - To recover the stolen weapons and equipment, and deliver them to the State. 4 - To impose the State's authority over all Yemeni territory. 5 - To stop the aggression of the rebellion's forces to save bloodshed and lead Yemen to safety. 6 - To resume the political process and build the Federal State in accordance with the GCC's initiative and its executive mechanism and the outputs of the comprehensive national dialogue. 7 - To save Yemen from turning to be a headquarters for the groups of violence and terrorist organizations, and a hotbed for them and ensure that Yemen won't be a threat to the security and stability of neighboring countries and to take all measures necessary to achieve this. This declaration is based on the following principles: 1 - The commitment to constitutional legitimacy. 2 - The commitment to establish the federal civil State and maintain the security and stability of Yemen. 3 - The commitment to the principles of partnership and consensus, according to the safeguards of national dialogue outputs and the agreement on addressing South's cause during the transition stage. 4 - The commitment to Riyadh Declaration and International Resolution No. (2216), considering them as the ceiling which cannot be bypassed in any future negotiations to be held under the auspices of the United Nations. 5 - The commitment to the principles of accountability and no impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as serious violations of human rights. This Declaration was based on following references: 1 - GCC's initiative and its implementation mechanism. 2 - The outputs of comprehensive national dialogue. 3 - Security Council's resolution on Yemen No. (2216) and relevant resolutions. 4 - The Arab League Council's resolution on Yemen issued by the Arab summit meeting held in the city of Sharm el-Sheikh of the Arab Republic of Egypt 2015 . 5 - GCC's relevant statements. 6 - Two messages sent by the President of Yemen's Republic to the GCC's leaders dated 07/03/2015 and 24/03/2015 as well as his two messages sent to the Arab League and the UN Security Council dated 24/03/2015. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud addressed a message to the conference which was read by the Secretary General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. The following is the text: In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, Praise be to Allah and may peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Excellency Brother President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi of the Republic of Yemen, Brothers and Sisters, Members of Riyadh Conference, May peace, mercy and blessings be upon you, We thank Allah Almighty for helping you to participate in this conference, in your second country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in response to the invitation of His Excellency President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi under the umbrella of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States. This conference comes at a historic turning point not for Yemen only, but also for the entire region, and you decided to riskily attend the conference as representatives of the brotherly Yemeni people to define the track which expresses the will of the dear Yemeni people. As we congratulate you all and congratulate through you the brotherly Yemeni people on what you have accomplished of a great achievement represented in the outputs of this conference, I have confidence that what you have shown to the whole world of cohesion and determination to shape the future of Yemen will be paid off so the brotherly Yemeni people can enjoy security and stability. Dear brothers and sisters, everyone knows well what the Kingdom and the Coalition's States accord of great keenness and attention to Yemeni affairs, emanating from their historical and fraternal ties that bind them together. The Kingdom's hosting of this conference came in a historic and decisive stage, which has gained great importance of attracting various components and strata of the Yemeni people who met in this place, bringing with them the hopes of the people of Yemen in rapprochement and reconciliation to build the modern State, strengthen the foundations of peace and dialogue, and achieve security and stability in brotherly Yemen. Dear brothers and sisters, the Kingdom and the Coalition's States have immediately responded to a request by the legitimate Yemeni government represented in His Excellency President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to save Yemen and protect its people and legitimacy according to the principle of self-defense to protect the gains of the Yemeni people and their achievements included in the GCC's initiative and its executive mechanism as well as the outputs of the comprehensive national dialogue supported by Security Council's Resolution No. 2216, the matter which comes in the context of our commitment and interest in Yemen, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the preservation of its Arabism and independence in order not to be a source of threat and destabilization in the region and a hotbed of terrorist organizations. In an extension of this role, the 'Renewal of Hope' operation was launched from which we are looking forward to contributing to the unity of our brothers and friends to achieve stability in preparation for the start of the development project in brotherly Yemen. Emanating from our keenness on improving the conditions of residents of brotherly Yemen living illegally in the Kingdom, we have directed the competent authorities to correct their conditions and allow them to work to ease their burdens and enable them to earn their living with dignity as if they are among their families and brothers, and we will continue to provide relief and humanitarian aid and facilitate its access to the brotherly Yemeni people, and we have directed the allocation of the necessary funds to facilitate the return of stranded Yemeni brothers to their homes. The whole world awaits the activation of the results of this blessed Conference, and your historical responsibility and faithfulness being shouldered by you necessitate the exerting of your utmost efforts to achieve the hopes and aspirations of the brotherly people of Yemen. In conclusion, we assure you of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ongoing stand by the brotherly Yemeni people to regain their natural position in their Arab surroundings. I pray to Allah Almighty for your success and the achievement of security, stability and prosperity for brotherly Yemen. May Allah's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.
