Government negotiations with rebels in Doha

The Yemeni government held talks with Houthies rebels on implementing the February peace deal that halted the last round of fighting in Sa’adah province.
 
Delegations from the two sides arrived in the Qatari capital Doha on Sunday, Yemeni officials and rebel representatives.
 
“Negotiations are ongoing... This is not to reach a new agreement but to put in place mechanisms to apply previous agreements,” Tareq al-Shami the GPC spokesman said on Thursday.
 
“We need to reach pace in Sa’adah, by implementing the last agreement that was singed in Doha last February,” he said.
 
“The talks started on schedule, but I have no further details,” a government official Said.
 
Rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said that their main demand was “the release our prisoners in the government jails” according to Abdul Salam there are around 1,000 rebel supporters remain in government custodies.
 
“We demand development and reconstruction of the forgotten provinces of north Yemen, where there are lacking of services, water, roads and schools, and the respect of our political and religious rights,” the spokesman added.
 
There have been six rounds of fighting between the rebels and government troops since the uprising first erupted in 2004. The conflict has killed thousands of people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.
 
The last round of fighting began with a government offensive in August last year and saw border clashes between the rebels and Saudi troops. It ended with a six-point peace plan, including a ceasefire that has largely held.
 
During a visit to the Yemeni capital Sana’a on July 13, Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani expressed willingness to assist in finding a “solution that would help preserve the unity of Yemen.”
 
Qatar helped broker the first peace agreement between the rebels and the government in June 2007.
 
Some Yemeni analysts see the possibility of forming a solid foundation for long term peace, as the government seeks to turn its focus on fighting al-Qaeda militants who pose a bigger strategic threat.
 
The government delegation was headed by Ali al-Qaisi the head of the Presidential committee in Harf Sufian, Mojahed Ghushaim the head of the military intelligence, and Jalal al-Rwaishan deputy of the national security.

The Houthies delegation was headed by Yousef al-Faishi (the second in command of the Houthi group , brother in law of Houthies leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi) and Dhaifullah Soliman and Yahia al-Houthi (the older brother of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi who lives abroad)

Related Content

•   Yemen PM: Effective turn out in election will give change more legitimacy
•   Russian President’s envoy to visit Yemen soon
•   Children prosecute Yemen crisis in a film screened on al-Aqeeq TV
•  Yemen VP launches presidential election campaign amid different factions’ rallies of anti election
•   Confrontations break out between Sothern militants and Yemen forces, two killed
•  Innovative technology enables grass-roots election monitoring in Yemen
•   Yemen VP launches early presidential election campaign officially
•   Yemen VP, US diplomat review political settlement progress
•   Tens killed in confrontations between Houthis and Salafies in North Yemen
•   Yemen PM receives Cuban diplomat