Yemen Conflict: Arab Coalition in Talks with UN on Peace Deal, but Insist Houthis Leave Hodeidah

posted on: Jun 28, 2018

SOURCE: ABC. NET

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says the Arab coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen was cooperating with a United Nations envoy to end fighting, but the Houthis must quit the port city of Hodeidah as a condition for any peace deal.

Key points:

UN envoy Martin Griffiths is visiting the southern Yemen city of Aden on Wednesday for talks with ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the exiled government’s temporary capital, after similar talks with the Houthis in Sanaa last week.

The UN is seeking a breakthrough in the three-year-old conflict that has killed more than 10,000 and caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with millions left facing starvation and disease.

The Houthis control the capital and most populated areas.

The alliance of Arab states led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia has been fighting since 2015 to restore Mr Hadi’s government, and describes the Houthis as pawns of Iran, which the Houthis deny.

The coalition launched the biggest assault of the war this month on Hodeidah, Yemen’s main port city, and seized the airport last week.

The international community fears the humanitarian crisis could sharply worsen if fighting for the port causes an interruption in aid.

Forces backed by the UAE have been consolidating near the airport before a push to the seaport.

Reem al-Hashimy, the UAE minister of state for international cooperation, told reporters in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi that the coalition was in close contact with Mr Giffiths “and we do want to see this come to a positive conclusion”.

“There are really certain elements we won’t sway from … the withdrawal of Houthis from the city is essential.”

The Iran-aligned Houthis have indicated they would be willing to hand over management of Hodeidah port to the United Nations, and Washington has encouraged the Arabs to accept such a deal, Western sources have told Reuters.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Houthis could be persuaded to leave the city.

They have been preparing for battle in urban areas, where the Arab states’ forces would be expected to meet tougher resistance than they have so far.

Residents told Reuters the Houthis are digging trenches, building defence berms and reinforcing their ranks with troops in Hodeidah and in other towns surrounding the city.

“People in the city are afraid to die and their only hope is that the UN envoy will get a peace deal and prevent the war, though nobody is optimistic because of their previous attempts,” said Houda Ahmed, a teacher in Hodeidah city.

Mr Griffiths, the envoy, has succeeded in keeping communication channels open with the Houthi leaders, in a contrast with a predecessor who was accused of dropping neutrality.

Western countries have tacitly backed the Arab states diplomatically, and the United States, Britain and France sell them billions of dollars worth of arms a year.

But the prospect that a major offensive could cause a humanitarian catastrophe has prompted the Western states to urge caution on their allies.