United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has affirmed his blessing of reconciliation efforts exerted by his special Adviser on Yemen Jamal Benomar, namely his fresh announcement on reconvening UN-facilitated negotiations to settle the crises in the country, expected to begin later on Monday.
In a statement released late on Sunday by his press office, Ban congratulated the political parties and constituencies "for assuming their responsibility as leaders of the country to peacefully steer Yemen through this challenging period," welcoming the warring leaders' reported consent to sit anew at the negotiating table, under the UN auspices, to try find a settlement to the ongoing crisis.
Ban reiterated full commitment to assist the Yemenis in finding a consensual solution to the current political impasse, and urged all sides to resolve themselves to complete the political transition as set forth in the Implementation Mechanism of the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and the Peace and National Partnership Agreement.
The UN official then called on all sides to negotiate in good faith and in the spirit of compromise, and further urged all sides to cooperate with his Special Adviser on Yemen, who enjoys his full support, the statement concluded.
On Sunday, the international trouble-shooter announced in Yemen that the political parties, including the Houthis, agreed to resume conciliation talks, today (Monday), in yet another bid to end the conflict. He said the political parties should live up to their responsibilities to end the political deadlock, thus continue the peaceful democratic transition the Yemenis began in 2011.
In 2011, the six-state Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) proposed an initiative to resolve Yemen's political crisis, which began after ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to step down following a popular uprising. At the time, the GCC initiative had called for the transfer of power in Yemen and the formation of a national accord government.
In recent months, however, Yemen had seen the emergence of a new political crisis, one that has left the Houthi group in control of capital Sanaa and some provinces.
The GCC has voiced deep concern at the dramatic developments in the country and has re-urged the parties to seek a peaceful conciliation to restore law and order.