US seeking to ‘bridge gaps’ between Saudis and Al Houthis

Muscat: A diplomat in Muscat said the talks between the Americans and Al Houthis were aimed at promoting a proposed peace conference in Geneva, which the United Nations has so far failed to persuade the warring parties to attend.

But the State Department said only that Anne Patterson, the top US official for Near East affairs, was in Oman for discussions “about many issues”.

Diplomatic sources in Oman told AFP on Monday that talks were taking place between a US delegation and Al Houthis.

“During these secret and informal talks, the Americans are seeking to bring closer positions of Al Houthis on one hand, and the Saudis and President Hadi on the other, with the hope of convincing these to lower the ceiling of their demands,” one diplomat told AFP.

The Geneva conference had been due to take place on May 28 but was postponed, after Hadi insisted that the militants must first withdraw from at least part of the territory they have seized, in line with a UN Security Council resolution.

Al Houthis have told the Americans that they want a halt to the bombing campaign and uninterrupted access for deliveries of humanitarian aid, the diplomat said.

The Saudi-led coalition has imposed an air and sea blockade on Yemen and has insisted that nothing enter or leave the impoverished country without its consent.

In Riyadh, UN envoy Esmail Ould Shaikh Ahmad arrived from weekend talks in the militant-held capital and met with Hadi.

His exiled but internationally recognised government was aware of the talks in Oman, saying on Sunday that they had been convened at Washington’s request.

They followed a visit to Muscat last week by the foreign minister of Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival which is accused of arming Al Houthis.

Muscat has good ties with both governments, and has often played the role of mediator.

It is the only member of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council not to have joined the Saudi-led coalition.