Morocco stands by Saudi against threats to Gulf peace

Morocco’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that Rabat stands in “complete solidarity” with Saudi Arabia against any threats to stability of the Gulf region.

“We are in complete solidarity with Saudi confronting any interference in its internal affairs,” Salaheddine Mezouar said during a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir. The Saudi top diplomat was on his first visit to Morocco since his appointment as Saudi’s foreign minister last year.

Mezouar emphasized that Morocco stands with Saudi against threats to the Gulf region’s peace, and said that the Saudi-led military operation which began in Yemen last year “proved that it was launched to defend legitimacy” in the country.

The Iran-backed Houthi militias and allied forces of deposed Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh claimed control of Sanaa in Sep. 2014 and then moved to seize most of the country’s other major cities, briefly pushing the Yemeni government - including President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi - into exile.

In reaction, Saudi Arabia formed an Arab coalition last year in a bid to restore to power Yemeni’s internationally recognized government and unseat the Houthis.

The foreign minister said Rabat “rejects sectarianism and interference in states’ internal affairs.”

Jubeir, meanwhile, reiterated that there is no place for President Bashar al-Assad’s in the future of Syria. He also said “of course, there is Plan B in case the political process fails in Syria,” but did not disclose any further details.

However, he said Riyadh was ready to participate with the U.S.-led coalition if it decides to send troops to Syria.