TOKYO: Hayashi Katsuyoshi, special assistant to Japan’s foreign minister, held consultations in Oman last week on the situation in Yemen with “parties concerned to the Yemeni conflict,” the foreign ministry in Tokyo said on March 13.
Hayashi, former ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Yemen, met Mohammed Abdulsalam, spokesman for the Houthis, and Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Issa Al Harthy, undersecretary for diplomatic affairs of Oman’s foreign ministry, between March 5-7.
Hayashi stated that “although unfortunately, the truce in Yemen expired last October, the government of Japan welcomes the fact that the lull continues due to the efforts of the parties to the conflict and that the dialogue between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Houthis is continuing through the mediation of Oman.”
He added that the Japanese government highly appreciates the Omani efforts toward renewing the truce and realizing durable peace in Yemen.
In the meeting, special assistant Hayashi expressed to the Houthis Japan’s strong hope that the parties to the conflict will make progress in the dialogue toward realizing a permanent peace in Yemen and urged them to renew the truce and reach a political solution to realize peace and stability in Yemen, according to the ministry.
The ministry stressed that the Japanese government, in cooperation with the United Nations and the countries concerned, will continue to work actively to realize peace and stability in Yemen by providing necessary assistance and diplomatic efforts.
