Statement by the Press Secretary on John Brennan’s Meeting with President Salih of Yemen

Assistant to the President for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security John Brennan met Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Salih in Riyadh today to wish the President a speedy recovery from injuries he sustained in a June 3rd attack in Sanaa. Mr. Brennan reiterated the U.S. Government's condemnation of the attack against the President and other Yemeni officials.

During the meeting, Mr. Brennan called upon President Salih to fulfill expeditiously his pledge to sign the GCC-brokered agreement for peaceful and Constitutional political transition in Yemen. Mr. Brennan emphasized the importance of resolving the political crisis in Sanaa so that the Yemeni Government and people can successfully confront the serious challenges they face, including the terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula, which have claimed the lives of hundreds of Yemeni citizens. Mr. Brennan said that the United States is working closely with Yemen's friends and supporters in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Europe, and elsewhere to ensure that much needed assistance will flow to Yemen as soon as the GCC proposal is signed and implemented. The United States believes that a transition in Yemen should begin immediately so that the Yemeni people can realize their aspirations.