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Yemeni negotiators resume meetings in last chance for peace talks

(Roundup) KUWAIT, May 23 (KUNA) -- In a last-ditch attempt to save the UN-mediated Yemeni peace talks, negotiators resumed meetings Monday to reach a compromise deal to end Yemeni people suffering.
After five days of suspension, the Yemeni negotiating teams held two sessions to discuss key issues such as the restoration of the State's institutions, resumption of political dialogue and security arrangements, mainly the withdrawal of armed forces and handover of weapons.
The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed pointed out that the Government of Yemen (GoY) delegation together with the delegations of the General People's Congress (GPC) and Ansarallah movement met in a plenary session today.
He has also convened separate bilateral meetings with the GoY delegation, as well as with the GPC and Ansarallah delegation.
In addition, a special meeting of the prisoners and detainee committee was held. The GoY delegation to the committee submitted a list to the UN Special Envoy containing the names of a number of detained Yemeni journalists who went on a hunger strike in protest against their detention, the UN Envoy's statement unveiled.
Cheikh Ahmed has called on all the Yemeni parties to make progress, in order to alleviate the burden placed on the Yemeni people.
"Peace talks are always complicated and require time, however I urge the Yemeni parties to exert all possible effort to reach a sustainable peace agreement in the near future," he said in a press statement Monday.
"Any delay, wastes time and causes the tragic loss of more innocent lives. The situation in Yemen requires urgent attention and any delay only serves the interests of those who do not believe in peace." He also expressed his gratitude to the Government of Yemen (GoY) for its decision to return to the negotiating table.
For his part, Yemen Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Abdulmalek Al-Mekhlafi said that the UN-backed Kuwait consultations on Yemen offer a last chance for all Yemenis to show their desire in peace.
Al-Mekhlafi, who is leading the government delegation to the talks Kuwait has been hosting to resolve the Yemen crisis since April 21, expressed readiness to show flexibility and offer concessions for peace of the Yemeni people.
The foreign minister expressed hope that the other side, namely the General People's Congress and Ansarullah movement, "have the same desire and readiness so as not to return to a whirlpool that lasted over five weeks, with no progress achieved." This is a real chance to work seriously and sincerely, Al-Mekhlafi told the opening of the first session of talks on Monday that followed a five-day suspension.
"We have come (to Kuwait) to return (to Yemen) with peace," he said, noting that the noble aim will be realized, God willing, if good intention and determination are found to achieve peace for the Yemeni people who have been suffering for long and "it is high time suffering ended." Yemen has been hard hit and its national unity has been torn apart, Al-Mekhlafi said, hoping that through dialogue, cooperation, partnership and exclusion of no party, Yemen will be back as a dignified and strong state.
The Yemeni senior official thanked the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmad for his hard efforts.
He also expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and to Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for the efforts the two leaders' exerted with Yemen President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Al-Mekhlafi also thanked the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-mmon who met with the Qatari Amir and President Hadi, and then issued a statement entrusting his envoy on Yemen to present the government delegation with the necessary guarantees and assurances on certain issues, based on which the talks were resumed.
He said that they now have the hope and the confidence that they are working on solid ground, with keenness and readiness to lavish whatever efforts to guarantee success for the Kuwait consultations, and as soon as possible.
Again, Al-Mekhlafi hoped peace and stability would be restored to Yemen, to spare the people there the scourge of war and devastation, and to contribute to building a "sound national unity based on the outcome of the national dialogue, and establish a national federal state." The head of the Yemeni delegation reiterated the references of the Kuwait talks, namely the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative and its Implementing Mechanism, the UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and the outcome of the Yemeni national dialogue, as well as what has been agreed upon between the UN Secretary General and Qatar's Amir and the Yemeni President, in addition to Ban's message to the envoy.
The Yemeni government suspended talks last Tuesday accusing Anasarullah and GPC delegation of procrastination and non-compliance with the peace talks' points of reference; mainly UN resolution 2216, the GCC initiative and its implementation mechanism for the outcome of the national dialogue.
Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi agreed during a meeting in Doha Saturday to resume participation in the peace talks after receiving guarantees on the applicability of the UN resolution on all parties. (pickup previous) am.ibi