Saudi Arabia shuttles between Yemen government and STC at Jeddah talks

Saudi Arabia is shuttling between delegations of the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council at talks in Jeddah aimed at ending fighting in Yemen’s southern provinces.

The call for talks came after fighting between pro-government forces and those loyal to the STC erupted in Aden last month.

“Until now there have been no direct talks between the two, just separate consultations between the Saudi government and the Yemeni government; the Saudis and the STC,” a Yemeni official told

The National on Thursday. “There are some sort of long conversations, meetings, they want to reach a compromise to de-escalate the situation between both sides,” he said, but that no concrete results had yet been established.

Saudi Arabia is leading the Arab Coalition, which includes the UAE, and has been fighting in Yemen to restore the internationally recognised government since 2015, after the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014.

The United Nations special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, expressed his full support for the Saudi-led initiative.

“I encourage the government of Yemen and the STC to seize this opportunity and settle their differences through peaceful means,” Mr Griffiths said on Twitter.

This week, the STC head Aidroos Al Zubaidi welcomed the efforts by the UAE and Saudi Arabia to end the crisis. The council’s troops took control of military bases and the seat of the Yemeni government.

“The council is ready to participate constructively in the negotiation process and we welcome Saudi Arabia’s keenness to maintain peace and stability in Yemen,” Mr Al Zubaidi said.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE insist that dialogue between the two sides is the only way to end the crisis.

They also stressed the importance of preserving a united front against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The UAE has repeatedly said that it is up to the Yemenis to resolve the conflict and the international community must spare no effort in its support for a peaceful resolution.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, on Wednesday reaffirmed the partnership between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in confronting challenges together in Yemen.

“UAE and Saudi Arabia are standing as partners in one trench to face besetting challenges. Our shared goals are security of the UAE and Saudi Arabia and stability of the whole region,” Sheikh Mohamed said.

On a visit to Saudi Arabia last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasised the importance of a negotiated resolution. Washington said on Thursday that US officials are in talks with the rebels.

“We are narrowly focused on trying to end the war in Yemen,” said Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker.

“We are also having talks … with the Houthis to try to find a mutually accepted negotiated solution to the conflict.”

The development came as Saudi Arabia intercepted two Houthi missiles on Thursday aimed at the kingdom.

In recent months the rebels have increased cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.