By Timour Azhari
RIYADH/BRUSSELS, Oct 15 (Reuters) – The European Union and Gulf states on Thursday postponed a joint summit due to be held in Saudi Arabia next week, as sustained attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis fuel concerns about air travel to and from the kingdom.
The Gulf Cooperation Council cited continued Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia and an extended suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport when announcing the postponement of the summit scheduled for October 24 in Riyadh.
The EU did not specify a reason for the delay, saying only that a new date would be announced “in due course”.
The postponement is the latest blow to Saudi Arabia’s effort to host global events despite the escalating war with the Houthis.
The summit had been intended in part to demonstrate European solidarity with Gulf states and Saudi Arabia amid the war, making its postponement a sign of how seriously the security situation has deteriorated.
Last weekend, 13 people were killed and hundreds wounded in strikes on Riyadh’s international airport, in an attack claimed by the Houthis.
The airport, where dignitaries had been supposed to land, remains closed after the attacks.
The EU said it continued to attach “great strategic importance” to ties with the Gulf region and remained committed to deepening the partnership.
(Reporting by Andrew Gray, Lili Bayer, Timour Azhari and Amina Ismail; additional reporting by Jana ChoukairWriting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Alexandra Hudson, Ros Russell)
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