Kerry heads to Saudi Arabia for Yemen peace push
TOP US diplomat John Kerry was due to arrive in Saudi Arabia yesterday to push for peace in Yemen after UN-brokered talks collapsed despite world concern over mounting civilian casualties.
Over two days, he is to meet Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and other Gulf ministers. He will also meet UN Yemen envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed and Britain’s Under Secretary of State for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood.
The kingdom leads an Arab coalition that began air raids in March last year and later sent in ground forces to support Yemen’s internationally recognised government after Huthi Shiite rebels and their allies overran much of the country. As the civilian death toll continues to climb, the kingdom has faced mounting criticism from human rights groups.
But there is little expectation of a breakthrough from Kerry’s latest visit to the kingdom.
Peter Salisbury, associate fellow at London’s Chatham House think tank, said there is “mounting pressure” from certain groups within the US government to see the war ended as soon as possible. “However, the Americans are limited in their ability to produce a meaningful political settlement.”
He said the current international approach, relying on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216, essentially demands surrender by the rebels who control the capital Sanaa.
“Demanding that they surrender unconditionally simply isn’t going to work and my expectation is that, in a best case scenario, we will see many more months of war,” Salisbury said.
More than 6,600 people, roughly half of them civilians, have been killed, while millions lack food, clean water and adequate healthcare.
A diplomatic source in Riyadh said it is “becoming increasingly clear” that elements of the US administration are alarmed by the civilian death toll.
Most recently, the State Department expressed deep concern after 19 people died in an August 15 air raid on a hospital supported by the DoctorsWithout Borders (MSF) charity.
As well as providing precision-guided bombs, American forces have assisted the coalition with aerial refuelling and intelligence, although they have slashed the number of advisers directly supporting the coalition.
Yemeni diplomatic sources said the US wants a deal on Yemen before the end of the year and will insist on the resumption of peace talks.