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Yemeni gov't suspends participation in peace talks in Kuwait

KUWAIT, May 17 (KUNA) -- Yemeni government has announced the suspension of its participation in the UN-mediated peace talks in Kuwait over the Ansarullah movement and the General People's Congress' procrastinations and incompliance with the agreed-upon references of the talks.
"The talks have entered its fifth week in row without a tangible progress due to the other side (Ansarullah and the General People's Congress) insistence on hampering efforts to establish peace," the Yemeni government's delegation said in a press statement Tuesday. It accused the Ansarullah and the General People's Congress delegations of brushing off the legitimate government and the reference points of the peace talks, namely the GCC initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue, and UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
They have not rebuffed security and military arrangements pertaining to the withdrawal of armed groups and handing over of weaponry, reads the statement.
The government delegation stressed that it was sincere and serious in its efforts to help reach a compromise to put an end to the war in Yemen and its grave repercussions on Yemeni people.
It stated that it has spared no chance to help the UN Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed render his mission a success.
"We have made concessions to help the UN envoy make progress: agreed to handle all dossiers coincidently and to form special committees to start confidence-building measures including the release of prisoners and detainees," the statement added.
It went on to say that "the government has also presented practical ideas -- within the framework of a roadmap -- to maintain the ceasefire, withdraw armed groups and hand over weaponry, restore state institutions and pave the way for a political transition that is not imposed by force." "However, our flexibility was faced with uncompromising stances from the other side which also showed incompliance with all points of reference, UN resolutions, and the agreements reached during the talks," it said.
The government delegation hoped the suspension of its participation would give the UN envoy a chance to press the Ansarullah and the General People's Congress to abide by the agreed-upon points of reference, the agenda of the talks held in Switzerland's and to recognize the legitimacy of the Yemeni government.
It has reiterated its commitment to doing all in power to achieve peace and expressed appreciation of the efforts of the UN envoy and Gulf and other peace talks-sponsoring countries.
It urged the international community would press the other side to put in place relevant UN resolutions and to abide by the peaceful path to end the war.
Kuwait has been hosting the consultations to resolve the Yemen crisis since April 21. (end) rkf.hrz.ibi