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Britain welcomes UN-sponsored consultations on Yemen

Xinhua, May 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

Britain on Thursday hailed the upcoming UN-sponsored consultations on Yemen, urging all parties to the conflict to show restraint.

UN-sponsored consultations on Yemen will open on May 28 in Geneva, Switzerland, to restore momentum towards a Yemeni-led political transition process, said a UN spokesperson in a statement released Wednesday.

"I welcome the UN Secretary General's announcement that consultations will start on 28 May in Geneva. These are intended to restore progress towards a sustainable, inclusive and Yemeni-led political solution to the conflict," British Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood said in a statement.

He noted that Britain fully supports the UN's vital efforts and backs their call for participants to engage in these consultations in good faith and without preconditions.

The minister also stressed that the humanitarian situation in Yemen remains grave.

"I urge all parties to the conflict to show restraint and enable sustained humanitarian access to allow life-saving aid to reach affected communities," Ellwood said.

The UN announcement came as Saudi-led coalition forces resumed their air strikes against Yemen's Shiite Houthi group after a five-day humanitarian truce expired at the weekend. Endit