Yemen talks on hold as rebels delay arrival

AFP, KUWAIT CITY: Crucial talks between Yemen’s government and rebels were delayed Monday after the insurgents failed to show up, prompting UN concern over the fate of peace efforts for the war-torn country.
The talks in Kuwait aim to bring an end to more than 13 months of fighting that have devastated already-impoverished Yemen.
A week-old ceasefire was meant to lay the groundwork for the talks but it has been repeatedly breached, with both sides trading blame.
Representatives of the internationally recognised government as well as the Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their allies—loyalists of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh—were meant to gather Monday morning in Kuwait for the negotiations. But while a government delegation led by Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi was in Kuwait, the rebel delegation remained in Yemen.
“Due to developments over the last few hours, the start of the Yemeni-Yemeni peace negotiations scheduled to begin today... will be delayed,” UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said in a statement, without specifying when they might take place. “The next few hours are crucial,” he said, calling on all parties to “take their responsibilities seriously and agree on comprehensive solutions”.
A source close to the government delegation in Kuwait City told AFP that the rebels “haven’t left Sanaa and are procrastinating.”
Speaking from Yemen’s rebel-held capital, a source from the Huthi political bureau confirmed to AFP that the rebels, expected in Kuwait alongside representatives from Saleh’s General People’s Congress party, had not left Sanaa.
“They did not go to the Kuwait talks because of the continued Saudi aggression on Yemen,” said the source, who requested anonymity. “Saudi Arabia did not commit to the truce.”
Saudi Arabia is leading a military coalition of Arab Sunni states which has been supporting pro-government forces with air strikes, weapons and troops since March last year.
It launched the intervention after the rebels, a Shiite minority group that has long complained of marginalisation, descended from their northern stronghold to seize control of Sanaa in 2014.
As they advanced into other areas, President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials fled first to the main southern city of Aden and eventually to Riyadh.

 

Yemen talks on hold as rebels delay arrival

AFP, KUWAIT CITY: Crucial talks between Yemens government and rebels were delayed Monday after the insurgents failed to show up, prompting UN concern over the fate of peace efforts for the war-torn country. The talks in Kuwait aim to bring an end to more than 13 months of fighting that have devastated already-impoverished Yemen. A week-old ceasefire was meant to lay the groundwork for the talks but it has been repeatedly breached, with both sides trading blame. Representatives of the internationally recognised government as well as the Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their alliesloyalists of former president Ali Abdullah Salehwere meant to gather Monday morning in Kuwait for the negotiations. But while a government delegation led by Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi was in Kuwait, the rebel delegation remained in Yemen. Due to developments over the last few hours, the start of the Yemeni-Yemeni peace negotiations scheduled to begin today... will be delayed, UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said in a statement, without specifying when they might take place. The next few hours are crucial, he said, calling on all parties to take their responsibilities seriously and agree on comprehensive solutions. A source close to the government delegation in Kuwait City told AFP that the rebels havent left Sanaa and are procrastinating. Speaking from Yemens rebel-held capital, a source from the Huthi political bureau confirmed to AFP that the rebels, expected in Kuwait alongside representatives from Salehs General Peoples Congress party, had not left Sanaa. They did not go to the Kuwait talks because of the continued Saudi aggression on Yemen, said the source, who requested anonymity. Saudi Arabia did not commit to the truce. Saudi Arabia is leading a military coalition of Arab Sunni states which has been supporting pro-government forces with air strikes, weapons and troops since March last year. It launched the intervention after the rebels, a Shiite minority group that has long complained of marginalisation, descended from their northern stronghold to seize control of Sanaa in 2014. As they advanced into other areas, President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials fled first to the main southern city of Aden and eventually to Riyadh.