U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir in Paris, France, on Monday, the State Department said. State Department spokesperson John Kirby said, in a statement, that Kerry and Al-Jubeir reviewed the "strong and enduring" relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia and discussed regional issues, including Yemen, Syria, and Iran. "The two ministers exchanged views on the Yemeni peace talks, ongoing in Kuwait, with Kerry expressing the U.S. administration's appreciation for the key role Saudi Arabia continues to play in combating terrorism and Al-Qaida in Yemen, in particular," Kirby said. Saudi leadership's making available an operations center and its contribution to the largest number of forces have been indispensable to recent successes, including most recently in Al Mukallah, southern Yemen, the spokesperson said. Finally, they exchanged views regarding the fight against Daesh and the restoration of the cessation of hostilities in Syria in accordance with UNSC (Resolution) 2254, he added. Secretary Kerry provided an update on recent discussions and the situation on the ground, and they both stressed the importance of all sides fully respecting the cessation of hostilities," Kirby said.
