Seminar in Brussels supports Kuwaiti efforts in Yemen

BRUSSELS, Oct 11 (KUNA) -- A seminar on Yemen highlighted the role played by Kuwait to resolve the Yemeni crisis, saying it was well poised to continue its role and bring an end to the three-year old conflict.
"Kuwait exerted great, great, great efforts and we should all be extremely thankful to Kuwait for all the efforts they exerted for over 100 days," EU head of delegation to Yemen, Antonia Calvo Puerta, told the gathering in Brussels on Wednesday.
"I think the advance that was made there is going to be a foundation for the future," she said and noted that all sides to the conflict in Yemen feel comfortable with the Kuwaiti mediation and everybody in Yemen praises Kuwait.
"We are very hopeful that Kuwait would exert its role in the future as it has done in the past," added the EU ambassador.
On his part, Mohammad Al-Jabir, Saudi ambassador to Yemen, also noted that Kuwait exerted great efforts to resolve the crisis in Yemen and noted that the Kuwaitis have announced several times that they are willing to continue their efforts.
"If the Houthis return to the negotiating table, there is a possibility for discussion," he said.
Al-Jabir said a solution in Yemen must be based on Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, the outcome of the Yemen National Dialogue and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216.
He suggested that "Iran interfered in Yemen to destroy all hopes of the Yemenis." Ambassador Calvo Puerta stressed on the political solution and called on all sides to offer concessions to find a solution.
She said militia groups not belonging to the army in Yemen must be disarmed and demobilized.
The EU diplomat said "it is an undeniable fact that the Yemen conflict started with a coup" and noted that there is "some level of Iranian involvement in Yemen." The one-day seminar titled, The Way Forward for Yemen, was organized by the Gulf Research Centre (GRC) based in Geneva with the participation of diplomats and military experts from the EU, Yemen, Saudi Arabia as well as representatives of the civil society.
Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of GRC, in his remarks said more debate about the Yemen problem is needed in Europe and in the international community.
Meanwhile, the Yemeni ambassador to the EU and Belgium Taha Mustafa said that a small minority of five percent perpetrated a coup against the legitimate government.
He also said he believes that the government seeks to establish peace in the country more than ever with the participation of all people in the country. (end) nk.sd