Clinton: Yemen is an ‘urgent national security priority’

Secretary Clinton said today that Yemen’s instability is “an urgent national security priority.” She made the remarks in London where she attended a meeting about Yemen in the wake of the Christmas Day underpants bomber. In a news conference after the meeting, she said:

To help the people of Yemen, we — the international community — must do more.… The government of Yemen must also do more. This must be a partnership if it is to have a successful outcome.”

At the meeting, she said, according to prepared remarks:

Yemen’s challenges are not going to be solved by military action alone.”

and:

Progress against violent extremists and progress toward a better future for the Yemeni people … will also depend on fortifying development effort.”

Clinton also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (below) and pushed for tough international sanctions against Iran if it can’t prove its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.