British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during a trip to reduce Russia’s dependence on energy in the West.
“I’m glad I came back” to Saudi Arabia on the tea ceremony after landing at Riyadh Airport in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Johnson said.
During the trip, Downing Street confirms that Saudi Arabia’s Alphanal Group has invested £ 1 billion ($ 1.31 billion) in the Teesside Lighthouse Green Fuel Project to produce sustainable aviation fuel from waste. I’m expecting it.
The project is expected to create more than 700 jobs during construction and about 240 full-time jobs when fully operational.
Earlier that day, Johnson met at a private meeting with the de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates, Crown Prince Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayid al-Nahyan.
A spokesman at 10 Downing Street said in a meeting with the UAE that Johnson expressed deep concern about the turmoil unleashed by Russia’s provocative invasion of Ukraine and to improve the stability of the global energy market. He emphasized the importance of cooperating with. ” leader.
“The leaders welcomed the long-standing partnership between the two countries and discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates on energy security, green technology and trade,” the statement said.
“They also agreed to the need to strengthen our strong security, defense and intelligence cooperation in the face of growing global threats, including the Houthis in Yemen.”
The statement did not mention whether Johnson had secured any commitment to increasing oil production or raised human rights issues.
Johnson’s trip is controversial for human rights records in two Gulf countries, especially after Saudi Arabia recently executed 81 people. This is the largest mass murder in modern history.
Critics have also questioned the choice to specifically strengthen relations with Mohammed bin Salman, alleged that Saudi leaders ordered the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. ing.
Labor leader Sir Kiel Starmer said, “Getting a cap from dictator to dictator is not an energy strategy.”
Conservative Julian Lewis, chair of Parliamentary intelligence and security committees, also told the government, “Another unreliable, sometimes unreliable, to reduce reliance on one oil and gas source. He called for not creating dependence on sources. A hostile government. “
However, Johnson defended the trip by saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to “build the widest possible coalition” to ensure that his war effort is unsuccessful. ..
“The United Kingdom is building a United Nations to address the new realities we face. The world must break away from Russia’s hydrocarbons and starve Putin’s dependence on oil and gas.” Stated.
“Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are major international partners in that effort. We work with them to ensure regional security, support humanitarian relief efforts and long-term global energy markets. To stabilize. “
At a Prime Minister’s Questionnaire held in Parliament on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Johnson told British lawmakers “our morals” when the government was forced to do what it could “to make Saudis act ethically.” I will never allow you to blur the red line. ” “
Mr Raab said he had raised human rights issues with Saudi leaders during his time as Foreign Minister and knew that “the prime minister would raise these issues again.”
He also defended the validity of these talks, citing the release of two prominent women’s rights activists and writers and critics Raif Badawi.
On Tuesday, Johnson told reporters that only 3 percent of Britain’s gas came from Russia, but “much more of our diesel” does.
Also on Wednesday, the International Energy Agency said in a monthly report that it saw a decline in Russia’s total oil exports by 2.5 million barrels (bpd) per day, including 1.5 million barrels / day of crude oil.
Authorities predict that 3 million barrels / day of Russian oil and commodities may not be available on the market from April, setting the world under supply of 700,000 barrels / day in the second quarter Did.
PA Media and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Lily Zhou is a freelance writer who mainly covers the British news of The Epoch Times.