US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has discussed with Yemen Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi the potential for extending and expanding the United Nations-mediated truce, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2022) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has discussed with Yemen Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi the potential for extending and expanding the United Nations-mediated truce, US State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Monday.
"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) President Rashad al-Alimi in New York and affirmed strong US support for the PLC and President al-Alimi's leadership," Price said. "Secretary Blinken and President al-Alimi discussed the urgency of extending and expanding the UN-mediated truce by October 2."
The two officials affirmed their support for additional steps under the truce, including opening roads in Taiz and other areas, expanding commercial flights from the airport in Sanaa and ensuring salary payments to thousands of civil servants, Price added.
In April, a two-month ceasefire was declared in Yemen under the auspices of the United Nations and with support of the parties to the conflict. In early August, the warring sides agreed to extend the truce by two months to negotiate an expanded truce agreement.
The State Department said earlier that the United States is concerned by the recent Houthi actions that undermine the truce and called on the Houthis to continue to honor the commitments they undertook on August 1 under the terms of the truce.
A truce expansion would pave the way for a permanent ceasefire and durable Yemen-led resolution of the conflict in the country that addresses the concerns of the people, according to the State Department.
