Yemeni Government Denies Any Negotiations With Southern Yemeni Separatist Forces

Mukhtar Al Rahbi, an adviser for the Yemeni information minister, denied in a comment to Sputnik on Wednesday that there were any direct or indirect negotiations between the government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2019) Mukhtar Al Rahbi, an adviser for the Yemeni information minister, denied in a comment to Sputnik on Wednesday that there were any direct or indirect negotiations between the government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

On August 11, the Saudi Foreign Ministry urged the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the STC to hold a meeting in the Saudi city of Jeddah amid the seizure of the port city of Aden by the southern separatists.

"There is no direct or indirect dialogue with the STC militants. What is happening is that state officials are negotiating with the Saudi leadership in the city of Jeddah to clarify the government's view on a coup and the armed rebellion backed by the UAE [United Arab Emirates]," Al Rahbi said in an interview.

Al Rahbi stressed that there would not be any talks unless the separatists withdrew from seized areas and legitimacy was restored in the country.

The STC and the Yemeni government previously fought together against the Houthi movement. However, in August, the STC captured the Maashiq presidential palace in Aden and defeated their former allies. The government reclaimed the city but then lost control of it again. The UAE has been repeatedly accused of supporting the separatist organization.