UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths refuted on Saturday claims that the Houthi delegation was not allowed to leave the Yemeni capital of Sanaa for Geneva peace talks.
GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2018) UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths refuted on Saturday claims that the Houthi delegation was not allowed to leave the Yemeni capital of Sanaa for Geneva peace talks.
The UN-mediated Geneva consultations on Yemen between the Houthis and the Yemeni government were to start on Thursday. However, the Houthis representatives failed to show up at the talks, claiming that the Saudi-led opposition which controls the Yemeni air space, did not allow them to leave and return peacefully. According to the opposition, Houthis were greenlighted to leave on time, but did not use the opportunity.
"Nobody was trying to block anybody from these talks, from these consultations," Griffiths said at a press briefing.
The envoy expressed hope that both delegations would eventually meet for direct talks.
"They will come together. I don't doubt it. If you desire peace, you need to make compromises," Griffiths said.
Yemen is engulfed in an armed conflict between the government headed by Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi movement. The Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf nations has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015.
