Although the ceasefire between the forces of the internationally recognized government and the Shiite Houthi rebels expired on October 2, “overall, the military situation in Yemen has remained stable”, “without major escalation”, the Swede stressed during a meeting of the Security Council .
The United Nations special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grudberg, said on Monday he was “encouraged” by the “intensification of talks” to conclude a new ceasefire, without hiding his concern about the risk of a resurgence of armed conflict.
Although the ceasefire between the forces of the internationally recognized government and the Shiite Houthi rebels expired on October 2, “overall, the military situation in Yemen has remained stable”, “without major escalation”, the Swede stressed during a meeting of the Security Council .
However, he underlined the continuation of “limited military activities on the fronts”, which have casualties among civilians.
“Military activity, combined with negative rhetoric and escalating political and economic measures, create a situation where a simple error of judgment can trigger a cycle of violence that will be difficult to reverse,” he warned, calling on members to “work for to extend the longest period of relative calm in eight years.”
In this context, he said he was “encouraged by the intensification of talks” and praised diplomatic activity in the region and internationally, especially the efforts he said were being made by Saudi Arabia and Oman.
“We see the potential for radical change in the course of this eight-year conflict,” he insisted. He spoke of an opportunity “that should not be wasted” and “requires responsible actions”.
The dialogue of the last months allowed to “clarify the positions of the parties and consider mutually acceptable options for the unresolved problems”, Hans Grudberg estimated, but the issues on the table “cannot be solved individually”.
It is, the Swedish diplomat insisted, “important that the discussions on how to proceed in the short term are part of a more coherent approach to define a clear path towards a sustainable political solution”. He called on the parties to “exploit as much as possible the scope for dialogue offered by the absence of large-scale fighting.”
Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country, has been wracked by armed conflict since 2014 between the Houthis, Shiite rebels backed by Iran, and forces loyal to the internationally recognized government, backed by a military alliance led by of neighboring Saudi Arabia.
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