Russia-South Yemen relations resurface: Lavrov recalls the «16th Soviet Republic»

In a joint press conference held with his Yemeni counterpart in Moscow today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recalled the depth of historical relations between Russia and South Yemen, which existed as an independent state from 1967 to 1990. 

Lavrov noted the significant role the Soviet Union played in supporting the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, known as South Yemen, across various sectors, including social, economic, technical, and humanitarian fields.

Lavrov referred to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen as the "16th Soviet Republic" within the former Soviet Union's sphere, calling this relationship vital and essential during that era.

#فيديو || جلسة المباحثات الرسمية لمعالي وزير الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الدكتور شائع الزنداني مع نظيره الروسي معالي السيد سيرجي لافروف في موسكو. pic.twitter.com/bnFBnJ4TpP

— وزارة خارجية الجمهورية اليمنية (@yemen_mofa) August 27, 2024

During the conference, which followed official talks with Yemeni Foreign Minister Shayea Al-Zindani, Lavrov welcomed mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE to resolve the ongoing crisis in Yemen.

"We affirm that Moscow supports political and diplomatic solutions to the crisis in Yemen," Lavrov said.

Lavrov described Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea as a "serious threat" to international navigation security but stressed that Moscow does not support military escalation, which could further complicate the situation. He reiterated Russia’s position condemning the US-UK strikes in Yemen.

Lavrov indicated that resuming the work of the Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between Russia and Yemen would be an important step in strengthening bilateral relations. He expressed hope that a general session of this commission could be held before the end of the year.

Yemeni Minister Shayea Al-Zindani emphasized the importance of developing Yemeni-Russian relations, praising Russia's support for the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and the Yemeni government in international forums.

Al-Zindani called for strong international support for the Yemeni government’s efforts to end the war and to deter the Houthis.

According to the Yemeni Foreign Ministry, the talks in Moscow included discussions on enhancing cooperation in various fields, including science, technology, culture, energy,4 and agriculture, with an agreement to increase the number of scholarships for Yemeni students in Russia.

This visit comes less than two weeks after Yemeni Defense Minister Mohsen Al-Daeri visited Moscow and held military talks with Russian officials, which addressed Houthi naval attacks and the development of the Yemeni government's military forces’ capabilities.