Yemen's Houthi movement has failed to take advantage of the opportunity to show commitment to peace when it declined a meeting with UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, the US State Department said in a release on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th May, 2021) Yemen's Houthi movement has failed to take advantage of the opportunity to show commitment to peace when it declined a meeting with UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, the US State Department said in a release on Friday.
"The Houthis passed up a major opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to peace and to make progress on this proposal by refusing to meet with UN Special Envoy Griffiths in Muscat - especially given the Republic of Yemen Government's stated readiness to reach an agreement to end the conflict," the release said.
The State Department pointed out that the Houthis act contrary to their statements about the humanitarian situation in Yemen and make the situation worse by continuing attacking Marib.
"With the growing international consensus and momentum toward ending the conflict in Yemen without further delay, all parties must engage with the UN Special Envoy and address the proposal that is on the table, for the sake of the Yemeni people," the release said.
The statement comes upon the conclusion of US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking's trip to the middle East.
The State Department said Lenderking met in Saudi Arabia with senior government officials, including Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman.
"Separately, US Special Envoy Lenderking and UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths met twice with the P5 Ambassadors to Yemen, at the beginning and the end of the trip," the release said. "They agreed that enabling the free flow of goods and commodities into and through Yemen, achieving a nationwide ceasefire, and swiftly transitioning to political talks is the only way to bring lasting relief to the Yemeni people and provide the basis for a stable, unified Yemen in the future."
In Muscat, Lenderking was joined by US Senator Chris Murphy and met with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, the release said.
"They all agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire and committed to work with the parties to bring a peaceful resolution to the conflict," it said. "The Omani Foreign Minister and the U.S. Special Envoy expressed their mutual desire to see the Safer oil tanker crisis resolved in order to prevent an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe in the Red Sea."
Following his Oman trip, Lenderking visited Jordan as part of a senior US government interagency delegation, the release said.
"The delegation met with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan and other Jordanian government officials to discuss regional issues, including the growing regional consensus on the need to end the Yemen conflict," it said. "US Special Envoy Lenderking and US Senator Murphy also held a separate meeting with UN Special Envoy Griffiths and the EU, German, and UK Ambassadors to Yemen to discuss the urgency of an immediate halt to the Houthi offensive in Marib and the transition to a political process."
The State Department said Lenderking then returned to Riyadh for another round of meetings with senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Yemen has been gripped by an internal conflict between the government forces and the Houthi movement for over six years. Since 2015, the Saudi-led coalition fighting on the government's side has been conducting air, land and sea operations against the rebels, who control the capital of Sanaa and large areas in north and west of Yemen. The Houthis often retaliate by firing projectiles and bomber drones on Saudi territory.
On March 22, Saudi Arabia proposed a comprehensive UN-sponsored ceasefire in Yemen, but the Houthis demanded that Riyadh first lift the economic blockade of Yemeni ports and airports.
