Saudi Arabia hosts Yemen talks with Sweden’s foreign minister, President Hadi

RIYADH: Yemen’s president has told the Swedish foreign minister that the Houthi militia failed to uphold any elements of an agreement reached in Stockholm in 2019.
Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi met Ann Linde and Sweden’s envoy to Yemen Peter Semneby in the Saudi capital, Riyadh on Monday.
Linde also held talks with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir.
Sweden hosted key peace talks in its capital more than two years, which were expected to pave the way toward a political solution to the conflict.

However, many aspects of the agreement were not implemented by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, which in recent months has ramped up its fighting in Marib province.
During Monday’s meeting, Hadi praised Sweden for its support for Yemen and its sponsorship of the Stockholm talks.
Hadi also thanked Sweden for taking a leading relief and humanitarian role.
The president briefed the Swedish delegation on the latest developments in Yemen and the human suffering brought by the Houthis including the recruitment of child fighters, the continued siege of cities, the offensive in Marib, and targeting camps for those displaced by the conflict.
“These militias and those behind them do not believe in coexistence and peace,” he said.

“The Houthis did not implement any of the provisions of the Stockholm Agreement, and have taken advantage of the truce to destabilize international navigation through booby-trapped boats, and other abuses and violations.”
The president said any attempts ha has made to make peace or offer concessions have been rejected by the Houthis.
Linde praised the efforts made by the president to overcome the repercussions of the war and the crisis facing Yemen, and said she looked forward to seeing peace prevail in cooperation with the international community.
Sweden, she said, would continue to providing support to Yemen, particularly in the humanitarian situation and holding donor conferences.
The meeting was also attended by Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak.
Linde visited the Saudi Center for Public Opinion Polls, and was briefed on the data collection processes, the scientific procedures carried out by the center in collecting its data and the methodology for its refinement and analysis.
Meanwhile, the UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, urged rival Yemeni forces Monday to “bridge the gap” to reach a cease-fire, praising a diplomatic push for peace in the devastated country.
“Throughout the process we have suggested several ways to bridge the gap between the parties,” Griffiths told reporters, speaking after meeting Houthi officials in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

“There’s an extraordinary amount of diplomatic consensus... there is a real diplomatic energy now, which hasn’t always been the case,” Griffiths said.
“All of our proposals have also guaranteed the reopening of this airport where we are speaking today, Sanaa airport,” said Griffiths,
(With AFP)