Houthi exit must be unconditional: UAE
abu dhabi — The UAE, whose troops have played a major role in a Yemeni government offensive against the port city of Hodeida, said on Saturday that it was ready to support diplomatic efforts to secure a rebel withdrawal.
But it said the pullout must be unconditional and from the whole city not just its vital docks, the entry point for three-quarters of Yemen’s imports.
“The coalition will achieve its goal, which is to free the city, including the port,” UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, tweeted, referring to a Saudi-led coalition which intervened in support of the Yemeni government in 2015.
“In the meantime, it will support all efforts to secure a peaceful and unconditional withdrawal by the rebels,” he added.
UAE-backed government forces launched their offensive against Hodeida on June 13 and on Wednesday overran its disused airport after deadly fighting with the rebels.
On Saturday, the airport continued to come under mortar fire from adjacent rebel-held neighbourhoods in the south of the city. Government forces responded against the source of the fire.
UN envoy Martin Griffiths, who held abortive talks in the rebelheld capital Sanaa last weekend,
The coalition will achieve its goal, which is to free the city, including the port Dr Anwar Gargash
was continuing “consultations with all sides to avoid a military confrontation in Hodeida and return rapidly to the negotiating table,” his office said.
The rebels have said they are willing to share control of Hodeida’s port with the United Nations but have vowed that their forces will remain in the docks and in the rest of the Red Sea city.
The coalition alleges that the port has been used by the rebels as an entry point for weapons smuggled from its arch-foe Iran.
Meanwhile, Dr Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the National Media Council, NMC, has emphasised that the UAE, in implementation of the directives of the wise leadership and its effective role within the Saudi-led Arab Coalition, continues to support the Yemeni people through carrying out a huge humanitarian operation to provide aid to the liberated areas. — AFP, Wam
jeddah — Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chairman of the National Media Council, has emphasised that the UAE continues to support the Yemeni people by carrying out a huge humanitarian operation to provide aid to the liberated areas.
He said being part of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition, the UAE is committed to supporting people of Yemen and alleviating their suffering.
Al Jaber made these remarks while leading a UAE delegation to a meeting held at the Jeddah Conference Palace in Saudi Arabia for ministers responsible for media affairs in the member states of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen.
Al Jaber referred to the continuation of the military and humanitarian operation in Hodeida to ensure delivery of humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people and to alleviate their suffering.
He also stressed the need to stop Iranian interference in Yemen by preventing the smuggling of weapons through Hodeida Port and called for securing international waterways by stopping the threat posed by Houthi militias to free movement of ships in the Red Sea.
He said the UAE, as part of its role in the Arab Coalition, has prepared a comprehensive humanitarian aid plan to alleviate the suffering of the people of Hodeida and other liberated areas.
He pointed out that Houthi militias have deliberately created a humanitarian disaster by interfering in the unloading of aid at the port, diverting or stealing food supplies, laying mines and positioning weapons
among civilians, as well as destroying water and sanitation networks. This had been confirmed by the UN, international relief organisations and the media, he pointed out.
Dr Al Jaber urged the international community to force the Houthis to abide by international humanitarian laws, provide secure access routes for relief aid and refrain from damaging the infrastructure of Hodeida Port. The port should also remain open to international aid organisations.
He noted that the Yemeni crisis will end only through a political process which is consistent with the three principles emerged from the Yemeni national dialogue and the Gulf initiative, as well as UN Security Council resolution 2216, in a process involving Yemenis themselves, under the patronage and supervision of the UN.
He said the liberation of the city and port of Hodeida represented a turning point in the Yemeni crisis since the restoration of government’s control over the port will enhance the chances of reaching a peaceful solution and breaking the deadlock in the political process.
Al Jaber noted the pivotal role played by the UAE as part of the Arab Coalition in the fight against militant organisations, which have been dealt severe blows in many areas in Yemen.
Highlighting the role of media in countering extremism and terrorism, Dr Al Jaber said that efforts by the media would ultimately lead to the eradication of the roots of extremist thought and the drying up of sources of funding. These “takfiri” groups are distorting and exploiting Islam to penetrate into society to try to attract and recruit young people, he said.
He called on the media to play a greater role in informing young people and communities in terms of immunising them against distorted ideas which do not represent the teachings of Islam. —