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UN Yemen envoy to convene peace talks next week in Switzerland

Xinhua, December 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN special envoy for Yemen will convene a series of peace talks among the warring parties in the countries in Switzerland on Dec. 15, with an aim to secure a ceasefire in the war-torn country, a UN spokesman said here Monday.

"These consultations seek to establish a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire and secure improvements to the humanitarian situation and a return to a peaceful and orderly political transition," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here.

"The government of Yemen, the Houthis and other relevant parties have agreed to participate in the talks, which will be chaired by the special envoy and attended by eight negotiators and four advisors for each delegation," Haq said.

"The aim is to develop a plan for the implementation of relevant Security Council Resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 2216, which will bring the country back to a peaceful and orderly transition based on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative and the outcomes of the national dialogue."

Resolution 2216 was adopted by the 15-nation UN council in April 2015 to demand that all parties, in particular the Houthis, immediately and unconditionally end violence and refrain from further unilateral actions that threatened the political transition.

Speaking in Geneva, UN special envoy for Yemen, Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said that only a political solution will end the crisis in Yemen. He called upon the parties to engage in good faith in search of a durable political solution for Yemen which meets the legitimate aspirations of Yemeni people for peace, stability, and prosperity.

He also urged all parties to respect a full cessation of hostilities, effective Dec. 15, in order to create a conducive environment for the talks and give Yemenis respite from the violence of recent months.

The talks are also meant to secure improvements in the humanitarian situation and a return to a peaceful and orderly political transition.

Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that he was "very optimistic" of the parties reaching a permanent ceasefire. Enditem