SANAA, Yemen, Mar 5 (NNN-SABA) – Yemen’s Houthi rebels accused the British government of seeking to derail a fragile peace deal, in Yemeni main port city of Hodeidah.
“We do not consider Britain as a mediator in the Yemeni peace talks,” Houthi spokesman, Mohammed Abdulsalam said, in response to remarks made a day earlier by British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt.
Abdulsalam added that, “it also appeared that the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, was representing his British government more than representing the UN.”
Abdulsalam said that his group was committed to the Stockholm Agreement reached in Dec last year.
He said, handing over management of the port city to a neutral side was not part of the agreed deal, accusing Hunt of seeking to pave the way for Saudi-led coalition to occupy the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.
On Sunday, Hunt said, he visited government-controlled southern port city of Aden, to push the two Yemeni rival parties towards implementation of the peace deal, adding that, it was “the last chance.”
Hunt warned, peace process in Yemen could die in weeks, if the Stockholm deal was not fully implemented.
Hunt said, he told Abdulsalam in Oman that, “withdrawal of Houthi troops needs to happen soon, to maintain confidence in Stockholm and allow opening of vital humanitarian channels.”
The peace deal intended to avert fighting in Hodeidah, the key lifeline for two-thirds of Yemen’s population, which the UN says is on the brink of famine.
Both warring parties have yet to implement the UN-brokered plan, to pull out forces from inside and around the city, since the deal went into force on Dec 18, 2018.– NNN-SABA
