Yemen: Talks with KSA restricted to armistice, humanitarian issues

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Informed Yemeni sources revealed to Al Mayadeen, today, that there is no final agreement in terms of extending and expanding the armistice, stressing, however, that negotiations are still ongoing.  

The informed sources said, "There is progress in the talks and messages exchanged through the Omani mediator, and if an agreement is reached, its results will be officially announced."

The sources also pointed out that "many proposals were put on the table, but they are yet to be discussed and attended to. We should wait to ensure their completion and agreement over them."

It was also pointed out that "the proposals put forward for discussion are all related to humanitarian considerations and the renewal of the armistice," adding that "channels of communication and negotiations with Saudi Arabia still stand and have been ongoing for some time now."

The Yemeni sources indicated that "the understandings with Saudi Arabia are limited to renewing the armistice and expanding the humanitarian issues to be considered."

Saudi Arabia: War in Yemen must end through negotiations

Earlier today, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud confirmed that his country needs to find a way to restore the armistice in Yemen and turn it into a permanent ceasefire.

"We are making progress in Yemen, but there are still more things to do," Bin Farhan said in a meeting with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, in the Swiss city of Davos.

Bin Farhan also stressed in the meeting, which discussed peace efforts in Yemen and efforts to reduce escalation, that "the war in Yemen must end through negotiations."

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On his part, the UN envoy's office expressed via Twitter an appreciation for "Saudi Arabia's role in supporting the current efforts aimed at de-escalation and working toward a comprehensive Yemeni-Yemeni political settlement under the auspices of the United Nations."

In a meeting with @FaisalbinFarhan in Davos, UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg expressed appreciation for #KSA’s role in supporting efforts to maintain current military de-escalation and work towards an inclusive Yemeni-Yemeni political settlement under UN auspices. pic.twitter.com/K9xcuHEiTb

— @OSE_Yemen (@OSE_Yemen) January 18, 2023

It is noteworthy that Sanaa announced last October that negotiations to extend the UN armistice in Yemen had reached a dead end after Saudi Arabia refused to pay the salaries of public servants from the revenues of oil and gas produced from the Yemeni governorates, in addition to ending the war acts and lifting the blockade on the country.