Brussels, 27/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the evening of Monday 26 October, the EU called on the parties involved in the conflict in Yemen to resume the path of negotiations for peace.
“All the parties should engage without preconditions and in good faith in negotiations”, said the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in a press release. In parallel, all the parties should take concrete steps to facilitate this return to dialogue, the spokesperson stated, in whose view, “this is the only way to achieve a lasting ceasefire and to address the current dramatic humanitarian situation”. This is important to ensure “unhindered access for essential supplies and basic commodities, as well as to tackle the threat of terrorist groups in a sustainable way”, the spokesperson added.
The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced on Friday 23 October that he would start preparations for holding these negotiations following the decision by the government of Yemen to participate along with other parties, including the Houthis and the General People's Congress, which supports the former president, Ali Abdallah Saleh.
“Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's invitation to resume peace talks on Yemen demonstrates the international community's determination to reach a peaceful settlement to the current crisis”, according to Mogherini's spokesperson - who added that the EU fully supported the efforts of the UN secretary general and special envoy “to achieve a resumption of inclusive political negotiations”, in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and UN Security Council resolutions.
The two attempts - in June and September - to unite the Yemini parties around the negotiating table failed. According to the UN, since the end of March 2015 the conflict in Yemen has claimed over 5,000 lives and left 25,000 wounded. Around 80% of the population, or 21 million people, need humanitarian aid. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)