The UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has threatened the Hadi puppet government with deterrent consequences, if it does not agree to the “Joint Declaration” meant to end the crisis in Yemen, before the end of November 2021, Zawya Arabic news outley reported, citing diplomatic sources.
According to Zawya Arabic, the draft joint declaration contains clauses calling for a halt to the war first, while the forces of warning parties are to remain in their current positions, and then go to negotiations to find a political solution.
The news agency noted that the terms of the joint declaration are in line with proposals submitted by the National Salvation Government in Sana’a last April.
The sources confirmed that Martin Griffiths handed a copy of the draft to all parties, including the five permanent members of the Security Council and Oman.
However, the Saudi-led Hadi government reportedly considered the proposal as carrying out what it described as “the wishes of the Houthis.”
The sources expressed concern about Saudi Arabia’s position on the draft, which it described as “humiliating for the Arab alliance and the Hadi government.”
Diplomatic sources explained that the document calls for economic measures, namely the opening of roads and ports, especially in Taiz. This, preceded by this condition in the Stockholm Agreement, includes non-obstruction of movement between Yemeni regions and cities, and the opening of Yemeni airports to travel, especially Sana’a airport.
According to the sources, the joint declaration document is very close to the terms of the Stockholm Agreement, which the Yemeni government signed in December 2018.
Hadi’s government has earlier rejected calls by the UK ambassador to speed up negotiations to sign the joint declaration, calling his remarks “a dictation to the legitimate government.”
These recent developments indicate a possible radical change in the conflict plaguing Yemen for the past five years. The National Salvation Government of Yemen has for years made requests for negotiations on a just and fair peace agreement, but now seems to be openly backed by the UN Envoy and several international diplomats in the matter.
