Yemen rebel chief says ready for political settlement

AFP, SANAA: The leader of Yemen’s Iran-backed rebels said a political settlement with the exiled government was still possible after what he called the “short-term” setback of their ouster from second city Aden.
Abdulmalik al-Huthi said the rebels would welcome a new attempt by a third party to broker a deal after the failure of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva in June. “A political settlement is still possible,” Huthi said in a speech broadcast by the rebels’ Al-Masira television channel late on Sunday.
“We would welcome any (mediation) effort by a neutral party—Arab or international,” he said.
Huthi played down the withdrawal of the rebels and their allies from Aden in mid-July after four months of ferocious fighting. “The advance made by the enemy in Aden will collapse,” he said. “It is a short-term situation which we will overcome despite all the money of Saudi Arabia.”
Yemen’s oil-rich neighbour has led an air campaign against the rebels since March and has also trained and equipped ground forces that were instrumental in securing Aden.
It was the rebels’ entry into the southern port that forced President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and his internationally recognised government into Saudi exile in March.

Yemen rebel chief says ready for political settlement

AFP, SANAA: The leader of Yemens Iran-backed rebels said a political settlement with the exiled government was still possible after what he called the short-term setback of their ouster from second city Aden. Abdulmalik al-Huthi said the rebels would welcome a new attempt by a third party to broker a deal after the failure of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva in June. A political settlement is still possible, Huthi said in a speech broadcast by the rebels Al-Masira television channel late on Sunday. We would welcome any (mediation) effort by a neutral partyArab or international, he said. Huthi played down the withdrawal of the rebels and their allies from Aden in mid-July after four months of ferocious fighting. The advance made by the enemy in Aden will collapse, he said. It is a short-term situation which we will overcome despite all the money of Saudi Arabia. Yemens oil-rich neighbour has led an air campaign against the rebels since March and has also trained and equipped ground forces that were instrumental in securing Aden. It was the rebels entry into the southern port that forced President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and his internationally recognised government into Saudi exile in March.