Saudi Arabia on Wednesday concluded a five-day negotiation with Yemen’s Houthi rebels, signaling a renewed bid to bring an end to the long-standing conflict in Yemen. The talks were described as the highest-level public negotiations ever held with the Houthis in the kingdom.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry released a statement highlighting the “positive results” of the discussions and expressing continued support for a comprehensive and lasting political solution in Yemen under United Nations supervision. The statement also indicated that the kingdom aims to encourage all Yemeni parties to come to the negotiating table.
During their visit, the Houthi delegation met with Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman. Prince Khalid took to social media to affirm Saudi Arabia’s commitment to facilitating dialogue for a comprehensive political solution in Yemen under UN supervision.
Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the chief Houthi negotiator, said the talks involved discussing options and alternatives to previous disagreements. The Houthis have long called for the Saudi-led coalition to pay state employee salaries from Yemen’s oil and gas revenues and to open all Houthi-controlled airports and ports as part of any peace deal.