CAIRO (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its commitment to promoting dialogue among all warring parties in Yemen, the kingdom’s defence minister said early on Wednesday, after meeting with Houthi negotiators in Riyadh.
“I emphasized the Kingdom’s support for Yemen and reaffirmed our commitment to promoting dialogue among all parties to reach a comprehensive political solution under UN supervision,” Prince Khalid bin Salman said in a post on messaging platform X.
Houthi envoys left Riyadh on Tuesday after a five-day round of talks with Saudi officials on a potential agreement paving the way to an end to the eight-year-old conflict in Yemen, sources familiar with the meeting and Houthi media said.
Some progress has been made on the main sticking points, including a timeline for foreign troops exiting Yemen and a mechanism for paying public wages, two sources said, adding the sides would meet for more talks after consultations “soon.”
The Houthi delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia last week. It was the first such official visit to the kingdom since the war broke out in Yemen in 2014 after the Iran-aligned group ousted a Saudi-backed government there.
The Houthis have been fighting against a Saudi-led military alliance since 2015 in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and left 80% of Yemen’s population dependent on humanitarian aid.
The talks are focused on a full reopening of Houthi-controlled ports and Sanaa airport, payment of wages for public servants, rebuilding efforts, and a timeline for foreign forces to quit Yemen. An agreement would allow the United Nations to restart a broader political peace process.
(Reporting by Enas Alashray; Editing by Chris Reese)
