Exclusive: We have the upper hand military-wise - Yemeni official

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Deputy Chief of the Sanaa negotiating delegation and Deputy Prime Minister of the Sanaa Government for Defense and Security Affairs Jalal Al-Ruwaishan told Al Mayadeen that he hopes that "the visit of the Omani delegation this time will be a turning point in terms of the aggression actually comprehending the Yemeni cause."

The Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that his government's position has been consistent since day one of the aggression on Yemen, reiterating that it calls for "freedom, political independence, and non-interference in the country's internal affairs." He also noted that "independence and sovereignty" are the cause for the sake of which the Yemeni people have fought for eight whole years in the face of the coalition of aggression in the course of defending the country.

Al-Ruwaishan said, "The visit of the Omani delegation carried, this time, some positivities pertaining to resolving the economic situation through the disbursement of salaries" and the countries of aggression expressing an initial desire to reach a solution and peace in Yemen.

Read more: Sanaa: 'No war, no peace' situation unacceptable, armed forces ready 

The Deputy Chief of the Sanaa negotiating delegation continued, "Peace for us is contingent upon being honorable and just," noting that Yemen has stood up "for eight years to the aggression in order to achieve that, so it cannot engage in a peace under hegemony and tutelage."

Regarding the negotiation process, Al-Ruwaishan revealed to Al Mayadeen that Sanaa put forward "its clear conditions," including "a cessation of war, an end to the siege, and the exit of foreigners from Yemen," stressing that "this is a legitimate right for all Yemenis."

The Yemeni official also demanded paying the reimbursements from the Yemeni oil and gas revenues without any "favor from anyone."

"We want Yemen's wealth to be paid to its people and to every individual belonging to the civil or military institution, which comprises a legitimate right for every Yemeni," he added.

Read more: Yemen facing the same colonizers with a wider alliance: Al-Mashat

Al-Ruwaishan stressed that the steadfastness of the Yemeni people, during the past eight years, "was not an adventure, but rather an imminent case of self-defense," pointing out that "until now, we are still under aggression."

He noted that "the three truces have not changed anything, and the same applies to the months following these armistices."

He stressed that Yemen is still under siege "by air, sea, and land, and the countries of aggression still exist on Yemeni territory as nothing has changed." 

However, Al-Ruwaishan stressed, "We are still in a position of self-defense," pledging that the Yemenis will continue to be as such until Yemen achieves freedom and independence.

No political solution to exist under aggression and siege

The Deputy Chief of the Sanaa negotiating delegation told Al Mayadeen that the stances of Sanaa officials all call for peace, adding, "We are not adventurous at the expense of the Yemeni people, but if we neglect these interests and these principles, that is when we will be risking the rights of the Yemeni people."

He further stressed that "the human rights of the Yemeni people have nothing to do with the negotiations and political solutions in the country," stressing that "there can be no political solution in Yemen while the country is still under aggression and siege."

Al-Ruwaishan said he bets on "the unity of the leadership and the people and the readiness of the armed forces," stressing that the Yemeni armed forces were able to achieve, during the past eight years, "a balance of terror between us and the countries of aggression, which is evident."

The Yemeni official hoped that the visit of the Omani delegation will bring about a shift in the course of [finding] solutions to the Yemeni issue, without the need to reach the actual implementation of military threats. He stressed that talking about "the readiness of the armed forces is not just a threat, which they [coalition of aggression] experienced first-hand in Al-Dabba port in Hadhramout."

He said, in his statement to Al Mayadeen, that the Yemeni armed forces have "the upper hand to reach any point, and this is something we do not wish to use unless we are forced to resort to the military option."

In a related context, Yemeni Ansar Allah official, Mohammad Al-Bukhaiti, told Al Mayadeen on Sunday that what the countries of aggression have provided does not meet the demands of Sanaa, and the position of the countries of aggression is not yet clear regarding the payment of salaries, accusing them of seeking to stir up internal Yemeni disputes by offering to pay salaries to a part of the employees.

The Ansar Allah official warned that if Sanaa's just demands are not met, it will not stand idly by without responding to the siege.

Al-Bukhaiti expected the outbreak of a new military round with the Saudi coalition, highlighting that any upcoming military round with Saudi Arabia will be different from the previous ones because Sanaa has developed its missile and air capabilities.

Elsewhere, the Yemeni official underscored that the Yemeni armed forces are able to strike deep inside the countries of aggression after developing their military capabilities further.

On December 5, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Sanaa Government for Defense and Security Affairs Jalal Al-Ruwaishan said the Omani delegation is playing a mediating role between Sanaa and the countries of aggression, and there is hope to achieve something.

However, Al-Ruwaishan stressed that "there cannot be a political solution while the country is under aggression, siege, and occupation," adding that "the negotiation to lift the siege and end the aggression and occupation is between Sanaa and the countries of aggression, and the political solution is then between the Yemenis."

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