UK voices support for Yemen peace talks in Sweden

  Wednesday, 05 December 2018

source: abna

Britain’s ambassador to Iran voiced support for the upcoming round of UN-initiated talks in Sweden aimed at ending the war on Yemen, stressing that there is no military solution to the conflict in the Arab country.
AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Britain’s ambassador to Iran voiced support for the upcoming round of UN-initiated talks in Sweden aimed at ending the war on Yemen, stressing that there is no military solution to the conflict in the Arab country.
In a statement on Wednesday, Rob Macaire hailed the Stockholm talks on Yemen as an opportunity for the warring parties to make progress towards ending the conflict through dialogue and negotiation.
What follows in the full text of the comments, released by the UK embassy:
“The UK Supports Upcoming Talks in Stockholm
The UK welcomes the upcoming talks in Stockholm, which offers a window of opportunity for both parties to make progress towards ending the conflict in Yemen through dialogue and negotiation. As we have consistently made clear, there can be no military solution to the conflict. A political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability, security and lasting peace to Yemen.
The humanitarian crisis and the suffering of Yemeni civilians is deeply concerning for the UK. The halt in fighting in Hodeidah is a positive step in protecting civilians and building confidence among both sides. We must do all we can to support the parties in de-escalating and reducing tensions and creating a conducive environment for the talks.
The countries of the region have an important role to play in supporting these talks. We welcome international support for UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Yemen, Martin Griffiths. We will continue to encourage both sides of the conflict to engage constructively in the Stockholm talks, to bring this conflict to an end. We urge all those with influence in the region to do the same.”
Yemen is in the grip of a humanitarian disaster with millions facing starvation and disease after years of war on the country.
The Saudi-led war in Yemen started in March 2015 as an attempt to crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement in the region and reinstall fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.