Yemen’s Warring Sides Will Return to Peace Talks, U.N. Says

Local Editor

U.N. Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths expects to get the warring parties in Yemen back to the negotiating table for the first time in years, and both sides have confirmed their willingness to talk, he said in a U.N. radio interview late on Thursday.

“I’d like to get the parties together within the next few weeks at the very latest,” he said. “I’m hoping that the (U.N.) Security Council will meet next week and we’ll put a plan before them as to how we’re going to bring the talks back.”

Griffiths said that in the last few days he had met former President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the southern city of Aden, temporary headquarters of the former regime, and Mohammed Abdul-Salam, chief negotiator of the Houthi group fighting against the regime.

“Both parties have confirmed to me their willingness to come to the table to restart negotiations. I think it’s long overdue that that should take place. It’s been about two years since the last talks on Yemen.”

He said he believed the discussions the U.N. had had with the warring sides had so far prevented a major attack on the port facilities or city of Hodeida, which is a vital lifeline for Yemen’s population.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team