Yemeni president, government approve UN agreement plan

Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and his government approved an agreement proposed by Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the UN special envoy, to settle the crisis on the condition it is signed by Houthi rebels before August.

Hadi held a meeting late Friday with his deputy Lt General Ali Mohsen Al Ahmar, Prime Minister Ahmed Ebeid bin Dhagher, deputy speaker and the consultative presidential body to discuss the latest political, military and security developments as well as the formula of the agreement proposed by the UN envoy.

The agreement proposed by the UN envoy includes clauses on both the Houthis and Saleh forces laying down arms, withdrawing from the Yemeni capital Sana, as well as the cities of Taiz and Hudaydah to launch a political dialogue within 45 days after signing the agreement, and creating a military committee responsible for overseeing the process.

The agreement is based on the Gulf initiative, its executive mechanisms as well as UN Resolution 2216 and relevant resolutions as a way of working out a comprehensive political dialogue. 

The Hadi government delegation has reportedly told Ahmed that its side would sign the document in case the Houthi side does likewise before August 7. However, the Houthis refused approving the proposal and have insisted on forming a national unity government, according to the media outlet.

Since 2014, Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict between forces loyal to Hadi and the Houthis, also known as the Ansar Allah movement, which is the country’s main opposition force.

As of March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition of mostly Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request despite a ceasefire agreed in April.

UN-brokered talks to end the Yemeni conflict started in Kuwait on April 21. On July 20, the Kuwaiti government gave the warring sides 15 days to settle the crisis before it would stop hosting the talks.

Source : MENA