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Yemen Agrees to Cease-Fire With Rebels Before Peace Talks Yemen Agrees to Cease-Fire With Rebels Before Peace Talks
(34 minutes later)
GENEVA — The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels agreed to immediately halt fighting on Tuesday as they started peace talks mediated by a United Nations special envoy at an undisclosed location in Switzerland, a United Nations spokesman confirmed. GENEVA — The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels agreed to immediately halt fighting on Tuesday as they started peace talks mediated by a United Nations special envoy at an undisclosed location in Switzerland, a United Nations spokesman confirmed.
The cease-fire, if it holds, would provide desperately needed relief to Yemen’s population of 24 million after nine months of conflict that have taken the lives of thousands of civilians and inflicted significant damage on the country’s infrastructure, deepening the humanitarian crisis there.The cease-fire, if it holds, would provide desperately needed relief to Yemen’s population of 24 million after nine months of conflict that have taken the lives of thousands of civilians and inflicted significant damage on the country’s infrastructure, deepening the humanitarian crisis there.
Representatives of President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Houthi rebels, who control the capital, Sana, arrived in Switzerland on Monday and were due to meet the United Nations special envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, for their first round of face-to-face talks by midmorning, the United Nations spokesman in Geneva, Ahmad Fawzi, said in a telephone interview Tuesday morning. Representatives of President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and of the Houthi rebels who control the capital, Sana, arrived in Switzerland on Monday. They were due to meet the United Nations special envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, for their first round of face-to-face talks by midmorning, the United Nations spokesman in Geneva, Ahmad Fawzi, said in a telephone interview Tuesday morning.
“The cessation of hostilities which was called today should mark the end of military violence in Yemen and the transition to progress based on negotiations dialogue and consensus,” Mr. Ahmed said in a statement. “The cessation of hostilities which was called today should mark the end of military violence in Yemen and the transition to progress based on negotiations, dialogue and consensus,” Mr. Ahmed said in a statement.
Peace was a prerequisite for rebuilding Yemen, restoring basic infrastructure, tackling the consequences of the war, normalizing life in all Yemen’s governorates and resuming normal economic activity, he said. Peace is a prerequisite for rebuilding Yemen, he said, adding that there was a need for restoring basic infrastructure, tackling the consequences of the war, normalizing life in all of Yemen’s governorates and resuming normal economic activity.
The cease-fire came after a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Riyadh on Monday night announced a seven-day pause in the intensive campaign of air strikes targeting Houthi forces. The cease-fire came after a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Riyadh on Monday night announced a seven-day pause in the intensive campaign of airstrikes targeting Houthi forces.
News of the cease-fire provided a positive start to a negotiation process that Mr. Ahmed, in announcing the planned meeting last week, acknowledged would be complex and difficult.News of the cease-fire provided a positive start to a negotiation process that Mr. Ahmed, in announcing the planned meeting last week, acknowledged would be complex and difficult.
An attempt to mediate between the two sides in June collapsed before the groups ever met. An attempt in June to mediate between the two sides collapsed before the groups even met.
Mr. Ahmed said then he was seeking a “cease-fire without time limit,” but that more time would be needed to convert the talks into a permanent cessation of hostilities and to tackle such issues as the withdrawal of militias and heavy weapons from conflict lines. Mr. Ahmed said he was seeking a “cease-fire without time limit,” but that more time would be needed to convert the talks into a permanent cessation of hostilities and to tackle such issues as the withdrawal of militias and heavy weapons from conflict lines.
“It’s definitely positive, but this situation is extremely precarious,” said a diplomat who was monitoring developments, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. “I think there is a will to make progress that we didn’t see in June.” “It’s definitely positive, but this situation is extremely precarious,” said a diplomat who was monitoring developments, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the delicate nature of the situation. “I think there is a will to make progress that we didn’t see in June.”
To try to avoid distractions that could derail the process, the United Nations has not disclosed the location of the talks, arranged any media access, or released details about who is attending the talks. To try to avoid distractions that could derail the process, the United Nations has not disclosed the location of the talks, arranged any news media access, or released details about who is attending the talks.