Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled meets with the head of the Yemeni government delegation Abdulmalak Al-Mikhlafi.

KUWAIT: The United Nations' (UN) Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed met YESTERDAY with the committee dealing with prisoners and detainees, part of UN-brokered peace talks held in Kuwait. The meeting featured discussions on the release of all captives, an issue that has seen much progress as of late.

Moreover, the UN Special Envoy was expected yesterday to meet with a number of officials, including Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi to review current developments in the war-torn nation and efforts to find a political solution to a conflict that remains largely unabated.

The government's delegation pulled out of the latest round of talks, citing that certain provisos need to be in place, particularly, that the Ansarullah movement and General People's Congress recognize the legitimacy of President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi's rule. The UN Special Envoy is expected to head to the Saudi capital Riyadh soon to resume discussions with the Yemeni president and the country's political parties

Kuwait's role

Earlier on Sunday, Yemeni parties have expressed gratitude for Kuwait's sponsoring of the Intra-Yemen talks, as Kuwait reiterated calls for them to seize the chance to end the suffering of Yemeni people. These remarks were made in three meetings held by the Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah in Bayan Palace Sunday with Cheikh Ahmad, Mikhlafi and Sanaa delegation.

The UN envoy and Yemeni delegation said that they greatly appreciate Kuwait's great role in hosting and creating conducive atmosphere for the success of the talks. They thanked His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Kuwait's government support to the peace talks that aim to restore security and stability across Yemen. Meanwhile, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled urged both sides to redouble their efforts and seize the chance to bring to a halt the conflict in Yemen, promote peace and restore Yemen's stability.

Commitments towards peace

In the meantime, the Sanaa delegation, which represents Yemen's Ansarullah movement and General People's Congress, has reiterated commitment towards the int'l efforts to mediate a comprehensive peace deal to end the current crisis the country. In a press statement, the two delegations stressed the talks should be based on the previously agreed points. They laid it bare that "any other agendas or diversions in this regard would not be accepted."

They noted that they have made additional consultations during the past two weeks upon requests from the UN envoy to Yemen and the State of Kuwait with a view to giving impetus to talks benefiting from the progress achieved in the first round. The UN envoy has also visited a number of regional countries for the same purpose. He noted the main goal of these efforts is to help reach a comprehensive and integrated political deal to end the deadlock.

Meanwhile, the UN envoy held Sunday meetings with the delegations of the Yemeni Ansarullah movement and the General People's Congress and the delegation representing the Yemeni government.

Ould Cheikh Ahmad discussed with the Yemeni stakeholders a host of political, security and humanitarian topics on the agenda of the 'Kuwait consultations,' in addition to the safeguards sought by the government delegation, namely acknowledgement of the legitimacy of Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the UN Resolution 2216. The UN-brokered intra-Yemeni peace talks resumed in Kuwait Saturday after a two-week suspension. The talks first began in Kuwait on April 21. - KUNA