Oman, Germany foreign ministers discuss Syria, Yemen crises

Oman's foreign minister Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah met Tuesday with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier over some of the pressing regional and international situations.

Steinmeier told a joint press conference that the two countries believe the cessation of all hostilities is the base for improving the humanitarian aid services in Syria.

He said the truce has helped improve humanitarian situation, and that has given them the impetus to continue political talks among the different Syrian parties.

The German diplomat also said the two countries agreed that military intervention in not an option for solving the crisis in Yemen, while the political solution will be ideal for all parties.

On his part, the Omani minister supports the efforts to find peaceful solutions to the all issues, especially in Yemen, which now needs reconstruction.

Yemen has been mired in an all-out civil war since September 2014, when the Shiite Houthi group backed by forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh invaded the capital Sanaa and drove President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.

The Saudi-led coalition started daily air bombing on the Shiite Houthi rebels and their allied forces since March 2015, vowing to drive out the rebels and retrieve Sanaa.

More than 6,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes, half of them civilians. Endit