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Boris Johnson 'misreported' over Saudi Arabia Boris Johnson encourages 'candour' in UK-Saudi relations
(about 2 hours later)
Boris Johnson's comments on Saudi Arabia were "misreported", Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said there is "candour" in the UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia.
The foreign secretary had said the country was fighting "proxy wars", prompting Downing Street to state that this was not "the government position". He was rebuked last week by Downing Street after suggesting the country backed "proxy wars" in the Middle East.
But Sir Michael told the BBC Mr Johnson's comments had been taken "out of context" and Saudi Arabia remained a "key ally of the UK". Defence Secretary Michael Fallon played down reports of a rift between Mr Johnson and Theresa May, accusing the media of misreporting.
Labour insisted the foreign secretary had been "slapped down". Labour insisted that Mr Johnson, who is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia, had been "slapped down".
Mr Johnson's comments, made at a meeting in Italy last week, were taken to refer to Saudi Arabia's involvement in the war in neighbouring Yemen, where it is supporting the country's president against the Houthi rebel movement. Speaking at a joint press conference in Riyadh with Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, the foreign secretary said: "I'm here to emphasise the friendship that exists between the UK and Saudi Arabia, and that is something that is developing and expanding.
The foreign secretary is currently in Saudi Arabia, where he met King Salman earlier on Sunday. The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said the talks had been described as "warm and genial". "And it's also fair to say that we believe in candour in our relationship. Now is the time for us to talk about the positive things that we are doing together."
When questioned on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Sir Michael said: "The media, with great respect, are starting to over-textualise every remark that he (Mr Johnson) makes." Last week, the Guardian newspaper published footage of a meeting in Rome at which Mr Johnson had said Saudi Arabia and Iran were involved in "proxy wars being fought the whole time" in the Middle East.
He added: "Boris's comment, as we have already established, was taken out of context in the reporting that implied we didn't support Saudi Arabia. Downing Street was asked the question and Downing Street answered it." But the prime minister's spokeswoman later said that Mrs May wanted to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia, including supporting its efforts to help the "legitimate" government of Yemen.
She added: "Those are the prime minister's views - the foreign secretary's views are not the government's position on, for example, Saudi Arabia and its role in the region."
'Out of context'
When questioned over this rebuke on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Sir Michael Fallon said: "The media, with great respect, are starting to over-textualise every remark that [Mr Johnson] makes.
"Downing Street was asked whether this misreporting of what Boris had said, whether that was government policy. Downing Street simply answered the question."
He added: "Boris's comment, as we have already established, was taken out of context in the reporting that implied we didn't support Saudi Arabia."
The defence secretary also said: "The government is absolutely clear that what Saudi Arabia is entitled to do is defend itself."The defence secretary also said: "The government is absolutely clear that what Saudi Arabia is entitled to do is defend itself."
He warned against "moralising", adding: "If you want to bring about change in Saudi Arabia, you have got to work with Saudi Arabia, and we are doing that." Also speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, Labour's shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: "In over 20 years in Parliament, I've never heard a foreign secretary slapped down the way Theresa May slapped down Boris."
'Absolutely clear'
Last week, The Guardian newspaper published footage of a meeting in Rome where Mr Johnson spoke. Citing Saudi Arabia and Iran, he said "the tragedy for me - and that's why you have these proxy wars being fought the whole time in that area - is that there is not strong enough leadership in the countries themselves".
He said there were politicians in the region who were "twisting and abusing religion and different strains of the same religion in order to further their own political objectives".
The prime minister's spokeswoman later said that Theresa May wanted to strengthen the relationship with Saudi Arabia, adding that "we are supporting the Saudi-led coalition in support of the legitimate government in Yemen against Houthi rebels".
She said: "Those are the prime minister's views - the foreign secretary's views are not the government's position on, for example, Saudi Arabia and its role in the region."
'Human rights abuses'
Also speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: "In over 20 years in Parliament, I've never heard a foreign secretary slapped down the way Theresa May slapped down Boris."
She added that Mr Johnson had been "right" in his reported comments, saying Saudi Arabia had been involved in "proxy wars" and "human rights abuses".She added that Mr Johnson had been "right" in his reported comments, saying Saudi Arabia had been involved in "proxy wars" and "human rights abuses".
Mr Johnson is due to meet Saudi Defence Minister Prince Mohamed Bin Salman, who is leading the campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, later.