British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday she would raise "hard issues" with Saudi Arabia's leaders on a visit to the country, as critics urged her to pressure Riyadh over its air war in Yemen and human rights record. Saudi Arabia is the country's largest Middle East trading partner, with British exports worth £6.57 billion ($8 billion) in 2015. Saudi Arabia is a major customer for British defense companies and an ally in the fight against Islamist militancy. "The strong British tradition of standing up for human rights is there, the strong British tradition of standing up for British national interest is there," she said. The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said May must put human rights and international law at the center of her talks with the Saudis.

Source: Egypt Independent April 05, 2017 08:15 UTC