Sana’a rules out plan for more talks

UN ENVOY SAYS AL HOUTHI MOVE TO FORM COUNCIL VIOLATES RESOLUTION ON YEMEN

Y emen’s government delegation to UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait said it will leave today, signalling the collapse of four months of UN-brokered negotiations with Al Houthi militia.

“Today [Friday], we are holding some farewell meetings... and the delegation will leave on Saturday [today],” delegation spokesman Mohammad Al Emrani said.

“There can be no more talks after the new coup,” he said referring to the Al Houthis’ formation of a supreme political council to run Yemen.

The Iran-backed Al Houthis and the General People’s Congress of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh on Thursday jointly announced setting up the 10-member council.

The job of the council would be to “manage state affairs politically, militarily, economically, administratively, socially and in security”, a statement issued by the rebels said.

UN special envoy Esmail Ould Shaikh Ahmad said the rebels’ move “contravenes” their commitment to the peace process and “represents a grave violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 2216 on Yemen’s conflict.

A UN spokesman in Kuwait, however, said Ould Shaikh Ahmad was scheduled to meet with the rebels and with ambassadors of the 18 countries backing the peace process in Yemen.

‘No aid delay’

The Saudi-led coalition refuted reports by rights groups that it is imposing a blockade on Yemen, saying it facilitates the passage of humanitarian aid in “record time.”

In a statement, the coalition said that the health situation is at the top of its priorities. “The coalition forces give permits to all the relief and humanitarian ships, immediately, periodically, in record time, and without inspection, and to all the Yemeni ports.”