Ban Calls for Yemen Ceasefire as Talks Begin
Yemen Post Staff
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for a ceasefire in order to deliver emergency aid to 80% of the Yemeni people affected by violence during the fasting month of Ramadan, agencies reported on Monday.
At the launch of Geneva talks, Ban also said he is looking forward to cooperation from all factions to reach a solution to the crisis and a government from all Yemenis including the youth and the women.
Agencies reported that the UN will hold separate meetings with the representatives of the government and the Houthi group in Geneva in a bid to guarantee productive talks.
The UN-sponsored talks are bringing the government and the Houthi militants.
The militants ousted the government in September and tightened their grip on power in January triggering a civil war and a Saudi-led Arab bombing campaign.
Separately, foreign minister, Riyadh Yaseen, said the government will negotiate a ceasefire after the Houthi militants withdraw from cities, stop violence and adhere to UN resolutions on Yemen.
Lately, officials from the government, which has been staying in Saudi Arabia for months, said the talks would focus on finding suitable mechanisms to implement the UN resolution No. 2216.
The resolution called on the Houthis to cede power, withdraw from cities, return state weapons and stop violence.
However, the Houthis ignored it and have been expanding and fighting pro-government forces in most of the Yemeni cities since it was passed in April.
Yemen Post Staff source: Yemen Post Newspaper