New York, Sept. 21 (Jiji Press)–Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major democracies on Monday denounced attacks in the Red Sea by pro-Iran Houthi rebels in Yemen. In a joint statement adopted at their meeting in New York, the G7 ministers said, “We condemn in the strongest terms the unacceptable continued strikes carried out by the Houthis,” including those affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure. They called on Iran to end its support for the Houthis while expressing their “full solidarity” with Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which have been attacked by the armed group. The reprehensible actions “constitute a dangerous pattern of escalation that risks further exacerbating the conflict, undermining international trade and creating global economic instability,” the ministers said, stressing the importance of ensuring “permanent maritime safety and security” and “navigational rights and freedoms worldwide.” The G7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States plus the European Union. At the meeting, which was joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the participants also discussed the situations in Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific region as well as the Middle East turmoil, agreeing to continue working closely together on these issues. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
