Riyadh (UNA-OIC) – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced an initiative to end the Yemeni crisis and reach a comprehensive political solution.
The initiative comes in continuation of the Kingdom’s concern for the security and stability of Yemen and the region, and its serious and practical steps to support peace in Yemen and put an end to the crisis.
The initiative aims to end the human suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, and affirms the Kingdom’s support for efforts to reach a comprehensive political resolution between the Yemeni parties in line with discussions in Biel, Geneva, Kuwait and Stockholm.
The initiative includes the following proposals:
- Comprehensive ceasefire across the country under the supervision of the United Nations.
- Depositing taxes and customs revenues for ships carrying oil derivatives to the port of Hodeidah in the joint account of the Central Bank of Yemen in Hodeidah, in accordance with the Stockholm Agreement on Hodeidah.
- Reopening of Sana’a International Airport to a number of direct regional and international destinations.
- Start of consultations between the Yemeni parties to reach a political resolution to the Yemeni crisis under the auspices of the United Nations based on the references of UN Security Council Resolution 2216, the Gulf Initiative and its implementation mechanism, and the outcomes of the Yemeni national dialogue.
This initiative comes within the framework of the continuous support for the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, the US envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, along with the positive role of the Sultanate of Oman, and the push to reach a political resolution to the crisis under the auspices of the United Nations.
The Kingdom calls on the Yemeni government and the Houthis to accept the initiative, which gives the Houthis the opportunity to stop the bloodshed in Yemen, address the humanitarian and economic conditions that the brotherly Yemeni people are suffering from, and gives them the opportunity to become partners in achieving peace.
The initiative gives the Houthis an opportunity to uphold the interests of the brotherly Yemeni people first, and the Yemeni people’s right to their sovereignty and the independence of their homeland over the Iranian regime’s expansionary ambitions in Yemen and the region. The Kingdom calls on the Houthis to declare their acceptance of the initiative, which is to be implemented under the supervision and monitoring of the United Nations.
The Kingdom also affirms its full right to defend its land, citizens and residents from the systematic attacks carried out by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia against civilian areas and vital installations that not only target the Kingdom’s national interests, but also target the core of the global economy and its supplies, as well as global energy security.
The Kingdom also affirms its total rejection of Iranian interference in the region and Yemen. The Iranian regime’s support for the Houthi militias through smuggling, developing, supplying missiles and weapons, provision of military experts, and violation of relevant Security Council resolutions, remains the main reason for the prolonging of the Yemeni crisis.
The Kingdom and Coalition countries affirm their continued support for the Yemeni people and their legitimate government.
The Kingdom also affirms that it will remain committed to its humanitarian role in alleviating the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, by supporting all efforts for peace, security and stability in Yemen and moving towards a new stage for the development and improvement of the Yemeni people’s livelihood.
This came during the press conference held in Riyadh on Monday, with the participation of Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, who is also the Supervisor of the Saudi Development Reconstruction Program for Yemen, Mohammad bin Saeed Al Jaber, and the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki.
In response to a question about the history of the idea, Prince Faisal said that the Kingdom’s initiative to end the Yemeni crisis and reach a comprehensive political solution is currently valid but pending the acceptance by the Houthi militia of the proposal to cease fire, noting that the Kingdom and the Coalition have previously submitted some political solutions including ceasefire with the aim to spare the bloodshed of Yemenis, preserve the country, offer an opportunity for a political solution and tackle the Yemeni crisis but the response of the Houthis was negative.
Following the announcement of the initiative, the Foreign Minister disclosed that the Kingdom has notified the Yemeni government, all Coalition member states, the UN envoy, and the United States of America of its plan to announce the initiative, looking forward to the acceptance of the Yemeni legitimate government of this initiative as well as a positive response from the Houthi militias.
Asked about the position of the United States towards the Yemeni crisis, the Minister said that “we expect that the United States of America and all our partners in the international community will support the initiative and work for its success”, in case the Houthis refrained from cooperation to find the suitable ways to mount enough pressure on them to accept the initiative and ceasefire, noting that the US administration has vowed its commitment to defend the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia towards such threats.
On the extent of rapprochement with Iran in the region, he ruled out such expectation, citing the Iranian regime’s behavior to destabilize the region through proceeding with its nuclear program that would conduce to develop its nuclear weapons and provide the Houthis with weapons.
For his part, Brig. Gen. Turki Al-Malki, expressed hope to see the initiative accepted, wisdom prevailing, a political solution to the conflict reached and the interests of the Yemeni people topping all priorities.
On whether there is a plan to pump money into the Yemeni Central Bank, Ambassador Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber said that the Kingdom has adopted a decades-long role to support the Yemeni Central Bank, even before the Houthi militia coup and their capture of the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, citing that the Kingdom has deposited $1 billion, $3 billion worth of oil derivatives and more than $3 billion to support the country’s infrastructure and basic services, all this through only two years.
Since the beginning of the crisis, “the Kingdom has also provided Yemen with more than $17 billion, including a deposit worth $2.2 billion to the Yemeni Central Bank, participated in humanitarian response conferences and established King Salman Humanitarian Aid Center and Relief (KSrelief) in support for the relief and humanitarian work in collaboration with other organizations,” he said, citing the efforts of the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen in the field of infrastructure and basic services, confirming the continuation of supporting the Yemeni government and finding out the economic requirements and their remedies.
Brig. Gen. Al-Malki reaffirmed the support of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen for the Yemeni national army and standing by the side of the Yemeni people and protecting them against violations.
Asked to comment on the expectation of no-compliance of the Houthi militia with the initiative, Brig. Gen. Al-Malki said that the Coalition is dealing with the launch of drones and ballistic missiles and other violations with utmost prudence, as the prudence will have full right to protect civilians, the Kingdom’s capabilities, the Yemeni people, noting that the Kingdom’s dealing with the Houthi violations with wisdom is considered braveness.
On the initiative to open Sana’a International Airport, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen explained that the initiative is a continuation of the Kingdom’s efforts in support of peace to achieve Yemen’s stability and its people’s prosperity, noting that the initiative of opening the airport is comprehensive and that once the Yemeni government and the Houthi militias accept it, the UN envoy will get involved with the parties to set the necessary arrangements and mechanism whether for the ceasefire or the airport opening process and proceed with Stockholm agreement, according to the agreed-upon arrangements.
Regarding Hodeidah port revenues, particularly who is in charge and who are the beneficiaries, Ambassador Al Jaber said that the Stockholm agreement on Hodeidah includes a number of steps, citing the port’s revenues, the contract supervised by the UN envoy between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militias regarding the customs and tax revenues whereas the two parties have agreed to allow ships to enter without restrictions in a short time.
He said as much as 5 billion Yemeni Riyal was deposited in the Hodeidah branch of the Yemeni Central bank. However, the Houthis have withdrawn the money and spent it on their military activities.
