Al Mukalla: The Yemen government has said its members in the Coordination and De-escalation Committee that would monitor ceasefire on April 10 have landed in Kuwait.
Foreign minister Abdul Malek Al Mikhlafi said on Monday the early arrival of the delegation in Kuwait is a strong indication that the internationally recognised government is keen on making talks more constructive and hence striking a deal with Al Houthis to put an end to months of the bloody conflict.
In a statement carried on the official news agency, Al Mikhlafi said Al Houthis and their military and political allies have not shown serious signs that they would contribute to setting the stage for fruitful peace talks in Kuwait.
“Despite the government’s preparations and efforts to ensure success of the peace talks, the putschists [Al Houthis] have not expressed their clear commitment to taking part in the upcoming talks in Kuwait.”
Similarly, Abdullah Al Alimi, a top aide to president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, said in another statement that the talks would be based on UN Security Resolution 2216, which obliges the rebels to pull out of cities, hand over arms to the state and allow the government operate from Sana’a.
“We would go to the coming talks with open hearts and minds towards a fair solution that would put an end to [Al Houthis] coup and would brining back the state through implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216. We would remain as always supportive to the sincere efforts of the UN Envoy [to Yemen]” Al Alimi said on Monday.
The UN Special Envoy to Yemen Esmail Ould Shaikh Ahmad announced last month that the government and Al Houthis agreed to halt hostilities on April 10 ahead of new round of peace talks in Kuwait on April 18. A de-escalation committee consists of military and civilian representatives from both sides would observe implementation of the truce.
Weeks after media reports broke news about Al Houthis’ engagement in talks with Saudis in Saudi Arabia, a news agency loyal to the ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh said on Tuesday that the rebels proposed to the Saudis the removal of Hadi and many of his close aides and forming a new government.
Khabar agency quoted an anonymous source who is allegedly aware of the details of the talks as saying that a new Al Houthi delegation who visited Saudi Arabia early this week engaged with the Saudi in “intensive” talks that mainly focused on “the departure of Hadi and some his aides in the Saudi capital from the political panorama” and “forming a new government”.
Despite no confirmation from either sides on new information, some watchers here lean towards believing strong rumours linking Hadi’s appointment of Al Houthis nemesis, Ali Mohsen Al Ahmar, in the wake of their demand to him during last peace talks to hand over power to his deputy Khalid Bahah.
