SAUDI ARABIA on Thursday proposed a five-day humanitarian pause in Yemen operation after weeks of airstrikes and fighting, but said a ceasefire depended on the Houthi militia and its allies also agreeing to lay down arms.
Addressing a press conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Riyadh, Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said the Kingdom would halt airstrikes in Yemen because it is determined to expand relief assistance to the Yemeni people. Saudi Arabia will provide $274 million in new assistance, he said.
Kerry welcomed the proposal and added that neither Saudi Arabia nor the United States was talking about sending ground troops into Yemen.
Kerry said the so-called “humanitarian pause” wouldn't start for several days, enough time for diplomatic efforts to convince the Houthi rebels and their backers to accept the terms of the deal. He said aid organizations also needed time to coordinate the best strategy for getting food, fuel and medicine into and around the country.
The announcement was made after Kerry met Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and other top Saudi officials in Riyadh. Kerry praised King Salman for seeking a peaceful resolution to Yemen's war and for inviting “all relevant parties” to an upcoming peace conference in Saudi Arabia.
Kerry said the ceasefire would mean “no bombing, no shooting” and no repositioning of forces. But he and Al-Jubeir insisted the feasibility of the plan depended on the Houthis and the Iranians agreeing to it and not trying to exploit the lull in fighting. They said they would provide an update Friday in Paris, where they will gather with the foreign ministers of other Arab countries.
The fighting and a coalition arms embargo have also caused hunger and shortages of food and fuel, worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis and prompting alarm around the world.
“The pause will affect all of Yemen for a period of five days. The actual date will be announced shortly as well as the requirements. This is all based on the Houthis complying with the ceasefire,” Jubeir said.
Despite the airstrikes, the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh have remained entrenched in areas they seized earlier this year and on Wednesday took an important district in Aden, leading to speculation about a possible coalition land operation.
Kerry added that he was “very, very concerned” by Iranian activities in Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere.
Earlier in the day, Kerry met with Yemen's exiled President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi, and his vice president and foreign minister. “Hopefully we'll see you in Sanaa soon,” Hadi told the top American diplomat. Sanaa, Yemen's capital, is controlled by the Houthis.
“Ah,” Kerry replied, “there's some work to do.”
During their meeting, King Salman and Kerry discussed bilateral relations, a number of issues of common interest and overall developments on regional and international arenas, Saudi Press Agency said. The audience was attended by Crown Prince Muhammed Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior; Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense; Minister of State and Cabinet Member Dr. Musaed Bin Muhammad Al-Aiban; Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel Bin Zaid Al-Toraifi; and Al-Jubeir.
On the US side, it was attended by Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson, Deputy Chief of US Mission to the Kingdom Timothy A. Lenderking, and Chief of General Staff Vice Admiral Kurt W. Tidd. — With input from Agencies
