UN Security Council hails start of Yemen's ceasefire, peace talks

 The UN Security Council on Monday welcomed the start of a nationwide cessation of hostilities in Yemen and the launch of Yemeni-Yemeni peace talks in Kuwait.

In a statement by Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, the council reiterated its call to all parties to "engage in peace talks in a flexible and constructive manner without preconditions, and in good faith."

China holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for April.

The Security Council called on all Yemeni parties to develop a roadmap for the implementation of interim security measures, especially at the local level, withdrawals, handover of heavy weapons, restoration of state institutions, and the resumption of political dialogue in line with relevant Security Council decisions, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative and Implementation Mechanism, and the outcome of the comprehensive National Dialogue conference.

The nationwide cessation of hostilities started in Yemen at midnight on April 10, and the peace talks were launched on April 21 in Kuwait, facilitated by the special envoy of the UN secretary-general for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.

"The Council urges the parties to comply fully with the cessation of hostilities and exercise restraint in response to any reports of violations," the statement said. "The Security Council further notes the importance of reaching agreement on a framework of principles, mechanisms and processes for the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement which will bring about a permanent end to the conflict."

The Security Council also expressed its strong concern about intensified terrorist attacks, including by Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (also known as Da'esh), and encouraged all Yemeni parties to avoid any security vacuums that can be exploited by terrorists or other violent groups.

"The Security Council stresses that a political solution to the crisis is essential to address, in a durable and comprehensive manner, the threat of terrorism in Yemen," the statement said. "The Security Council stresses the importance of the restoration of government control over all state institutions, including respect for the legally established lines of authority in state institutions; removal of any hindrance or obstructions to proper functioning of state institutions; and changes to ensure inclusivity in political institutions."

The Houthi group and militias in support of ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh stormed the Yemeni capital Sanaa in September 2014, and forced incumbent President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and his government into exile.

Last March, Hadi's government authorized a Saudi-led coalition to enforce the resolution and bring Sanaa back to the control of the internationally recognized government.

The civil war has so far killed more than 6,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, and injured around 35,000 and displaced more than two million others, according to the latest UN statistics.

Source: XINHUA