Expectations low as warring parties meet
CAIRO — Yemen’s warring parties will meet in Sweden this week for another attempt at talks aimed at halting their catastrophic 3-year-old war, but there are few incentives for major compromises, and the focus is likely to be on firming up a shaky de-escalation.
U.N. officials say they don’t expect rapid progress toward a political settlement but hope for at least minor steps that would help to address Yemen’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Karen Pierce said “it’s very good news” that all the parties have come to Stockholm “but the hard work begins now and we hope the parties will engage in good faith with the United Nations.”
Both the internationally-recognized government, which is backed by a U.S.-sponsored and Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels say they are striving for peace.
A Houthi delegation arrived in Stockholm late Tuesday, accompanied by U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths. The government delegation and the head of the rebel delegation were heading to Sweden on Wednesday.
Confidence-building measures before the talks included a prisoner swap and the evacuation of wounded rebels for medical treatment.
The release of funds from abroad by Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to pay state employees in rebel-held territory is also in the works.