RIYADH: Riyadh is in talks with Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels in a bidto end the country’s civil war, a Saudi official said on Wednesday in thefirst official confirmation of dialogue between the two sides.
The comment comes after Saudi Arabia brokered a power sharing agreementbetween Yemen’s internationally recognised government and southernseparatists, which observers say could pave the way for a wider peace deal.
“We have had an open channel with the Huthis since 2016. We are continuingthese communications to support peace in Yemen,” a senior Saudi officialtold reporters.
“We don’t close our doors with the Huthis.”
The official, who declined to be named, gave no further details on thetalks but the development came after rebel missile and drone attacks onSaudi cities spiked over the summer, followed by a lull in recent weeks.
There was no immediate comment from the Huthi rebels, who seized Yemen’scapital Sanaa and much of the country´s north in 2014, sparking a Saudi-ledmilitary intervention the following March.
Washington too is in talks with the Huthis, Assistant Secretary of NearEastern Affairs David Schenker said during a visit to Saudi Arabia inSeptember.
He did not say whether the Americans were holding talks separately with therebels, but analysts say they were likely happening in consultation withSaudi Arabia, a key ally of Washington.
The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 as the Huthi rebelsclosed in on second city Aden, prompting President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadito flee into Saudi exile.
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Riyadh had reportedly hoped for a quick win against the Huthis, but insteadwaded into a quagmire that has cost it billions of dollars and hurt itsreputation, while devastating the Arab world’s poorest country.
The confirmation of talks comes amid the slow implementation of a landmarkceasefire deal in rebel-held Hodeida, which was agreed between thegovernment and the Huthis in Sweden late last year.
The deal was hailed as Yemen’s best chance so far to end the four-yearconflict, but it appears to be hanging by a thread with breaches reportedby both sides.
“If the Huthis (are) serious to deescalate and accept to come to the table,Saudi Arabia will support their demand and support all political parties toreach a political solution,” the Saudi official said.
The Huthis, on their part, have offered to halt all attacks on Saudi Arabiaas part of a wider peace initiative, later repeating their proposal despitecontinued air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition.
The offer came after the Huthis claimed responsibility for attacks onSeptember 14 against two key Saudi oil installations that temporarilyknocked out half of the OPEC giant’s production.
Riyadh and Washington, however, blamed Iran for the attacks — a chargedenied by Tehran.
