SANA’A: Yemen’s dominant Houthis yesterday agreed to join United Nations-backed peace talks in Geneva on June 14, a day after their opponents in the exiled government confirmed their attendance.
UN envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, has for weeks been shuttling between the Houthi-controlled capital, the exiled government in Riyadh and other regional capitals to garner support for peace talks in Geneva.
Daifallah Al Shami, a member of the Houthis’ politburo, said his movement would take part, and “supports without preconditions efforts of the UN to organise Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue”.
Both sides appeared to have relaxed their conditions for opening talks. Officials said representatives of long-time president Ali Abdullah Saleh will also accept a UN invitation to talks, but southern rebel factions, who also control swathes of Yemen, are unlikely to be invited. Hadi had previously insisted that the Houthis obey UN Security Council Resolution 2216, passed in April, which required them to recognise his administration and quit Yemen’s main cities. The rebels sought suspension of raids. AFP
