VIDEO: Mohamed Bin Zayed, Prince Salman attend signing of deal between Yemen and STC

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on Tuesday attended the signing of the Riyadh Agreement between the Yemeni Government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Both Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and STC leader Aidarous Al Zoubeidi attended the ceremony.

Sheikh Mohammed tweeted a picture of himself and Prince Mohammed walking hand in hand with Hadi after Tuesday's ceremony.

Sheikh Mohamed and Prince Salman deliberated the prospects for consolidating the brotherly relations between the two countries across all fronts in addition to reviewing the latest developments of the Yemen File, and ways of ensuring providing all possible support for the Yemeni people to realise their hopes for development and peace.

The two leaders reviewed the latest developments in the Gulf region, in particular, and the Middle East, in general, as well as exchanged views over a series of regional and international issues of common interest.

Sheikh Mohamed underscored the deeply rooted relations between the UAE and the Kingdom, which Abu Dhabi Crown Prince said are based on mutual respect and common destiny and shared vision.

He commended the significant role played by Saudi Arabia in promoting stability under which he termed as "exceptional circumstances" the region is going through.

"This agreement will open a new period of stability in Yemen. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands with you," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed said at a signing ceremony in Riyadh aired on state television.

Leaders attend the signing of deals in Riyadh. WAM

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, congratulated the two sides on the deal.

"The signing of this agreement is an important step for our collective efforts to advance a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Yemen," he said in a statement.

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman expressed appreciation of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed for the noble sacrifices made by the UAE along with the Saudi forces and the rest of Arab Coalition soldiers across Yemeni territories.

In his speech the Saudi Crown Prince said: "We are pleased to welcome you on this blissful day which brings Yemenis together in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which has been used since the era of the Founder King Abdulaziz, to standing by Yemen, ensuring its stability and relentlessly supporting its prosperity out of confidence in the wisdom of its people and their determination to survive all challenges."

The Saudi Crown Prince underlined the Kingdom's supportive stance of Yemenis with whom he said Saudi Arabia is inseparably bound by strong religious, neighbourly and kinship ties.
"In continuation of this supportive stance for Yemenis, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia directed to exert all possible efforts to mend fences between Yemeni brethren," he added.

The Saudi Crown Prince commended the positive response of Yemeni President Abdrabu Mansour and the Southern Transitional Council to the Kingdom's call for dialogue, which resulted in forging the Riyadh Agreement that he hoped would mark a fresh start for a new phase of stability and development in Yemen.

"The Kingdom will always be standing by you," he addressed the Yemenis.