Kuwait City – The United Nations envoy for Yemen said that Friday’s sessions of the UN-brokered peace negotiations among Yemeni parties were “positive and promising,” as both sides continue to work towards achieving an agreement on ending the violence and devastation in the country.
“We hope they will forge a long-awaited new phase, the phase of peace, security and respect for human rights,” said Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, in a press release.
The envoy said that despite “alarming breaches” in some areas to the cessation of hostilities pact that came into force at midnight on 10 April, there has been a marked improvement in security, according to independent sources. “We have called on all concerned parties to address these violations and we are actively following up on these issues,” the envoy said from Kuwait, where the talks are under way.
In particular, he commended the De-escalation and Coordination Committee (DCC) and local committees for their continuing efforts to strengthen the cessation of hostilities.
The overall objective of the peace talks is to reach a comprehensive agreement that lays the foundations for a return to a “peaceful and orderly transition” based on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative and its implementation mechanism and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference.
The proposed working plan constitutes a strong framework for a new political process that would help Yemen and Yemenis achieve stability and live in peace, Ould Cheikh Ahmed noted.
“Today’s sessions were positive and promising,” he added.
With MAP
