Russia, unlike many other countries, has maintained good relations with all political forces in Yemen, giving Moscow the rare opportunity to exert influence on all sides in the ongoing conflict, Russian Ambassador to Yemen Vladimir Dedushkin told Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2018) Russia, unlike many other countries, has maintained good relations with all political forces in Yemen, giving Moscow the rare opportunity to exert influence on all sides in the ongoing conflict, Russian Ambassador to Yemen Vladimir Dedushkin told Sputnik.
"Russia has unique possibilities to influence the sides of the Yemeni conflict. Unlike most countries, in particular Western partners, we have maintained good relations with all political forces in Yemen, including the main sides of the conflict," Dedushkin said.
Last week, a Houthi delegation headed by chief negotiator Mohammed Abdul-Salam arrived in Moscow and met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. Member of the Houthi-led Political Bureau Abdul Malik Ajri told Sputnik that the delegation had asked Russia to act as a mediator in the settlement of the ongoing conflict.
Dedushkin recalled that in December 2017, Bogdanov held a number of meetings in Riyadh, including with Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and other top Yemeni officials.
Yemen has been gripped by a civil war between President Hadi's government and the Shiite Houthi movement. The government is backed by the Saudi-led coalition that has been carrying out airstrikes that target the areas controlled by the Houthis since March 2015.
The Russian ambassador in Yemen is temporarily working in Saudi Arabia, where he also maintains regular contacts with Hadi and other representatives of the Yemeni leadership.
