UN envoy says to meet Yemen warring rivals

By Ali Aweida

MAARIB, Yemen

UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths said Wednesday he will bring Yemeni warring rivals together within a month in hope of resolving the conflict in the war-torn country.

"We remain committed to bring the Yemeni parties to the negotiations table within a month," Griffiths said in a statement issued by his office.

"Dialogue remains the only path to reach an inclusive agreement,” he said.

The UN envoy's remarks came after calls by U.S., French and British officials for a 30-day ceasefire in Yemen and engaging in "serious" negotiations to end the war.

"I urge all concerned parties to seize this opportunity to engage constructively with our current efforts to swiftly resume political consultations to agree on a framework for political negotiations, and confidence-building measures," he said.

He noted that confidence-building measures include, in particular, "enhancing the capacities of the Central Bank of Yemen, the exchange of prisoners and the re-opening of Sanaa airport."

Early on Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis called for a ceasefire in Yemen and the start of peace talks in the next 30 days.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also released a statement saying it was “time to end this conflict, replace conflict with compromise, and allow the Yemeni people to heal through peace and reconstruction”.

Impoverished Yemen has remained wracked by violence since 2014, when Shia Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies launched a massive air campaign in Yemen aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.