Concerns grow over Saudi Airport access ahead of energy conference

SANAA, Oct. 11 (YPA) – International concerns over access to Saudi airports have grown amid escalating Yemeni missile attacks targeting the kingdom’s airports.

Italian energy minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said he will not fly to Riyadh for the International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting in person next week but will participate via a video link, Reuters reports.

Despite Riyadh’s efforts to reassure participants ahead of the conference, scheduled to run from Sunday through Thursday, international media reports indicate that Saudi Arabia has yet to receive confirmation of attendance from those invited.

Reuters reported on Saturday that Saudi Arabia had proposed redirecting conference attendees to Dammam Airport instead of Riyadh, followed by a four-hour drive to the capital. However, observers said Riyadh had yet to receive confirmation of attendance from invited government officials and company executives.

Last week, Sanaa forces announced a ban on flights to and from Saudi airports, except those serving the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

On Friday, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for the Sanaa forces, announced that humanitarian flights to Saudi airports would be permitted, subject to prior authorization from the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center in Sanaa.

@E.Y.M