Yemeni Government Hopes Sweden Talks To End Suffering, Bring Peace - Ambassador To Russia

Yemen's government hopes that the UN-mediated peace talks in Sweden would end the suffering of Yemeni people and achieve peace in the country, Yemeni Ambassador to Russia Ahmed Salem Wahishi told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2018) Yemen's government hopes that the UN-mediated peace talks in Sweden would end the suffering of Yemeni people and achieve peace in the country, Yemeni Ambassador to Russia Ahmed Salem Wahishi told Sputnik.

The talks between the Yemeni government and the Shia Houthi movement started in Rimbo, a town north of Stockholm, on Thursday and are expected to last through December 14. The sides are discussing prisoner exchange, confidence-building measures and humanitarian issues. During the talks, the delegations of the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels have signed an agreement on the exchange of detainees and prisoners of war.

"Yemen government delegation hopes Sweden consultation will end the suffering of our people by achieving peace that will establish the Federal Yemen which was agreed upon by all parties and reflected in the outcomes of the National Dialogue," Wahishi said.

The diplomat noted that the government welcomed the recent agreement with the Houthi militants on the exchange of prisoners.

"The participation of the government delegation in Sweden ongoing talks is with serious desire to achieve peace, with the aim to save our people from war and distraction imposed by the Houthi militia.

The Yemeni government supports the agreement that has been signed recently by the militia and it should result [in]to the release of prisoners," Wahishi explained.

The ambassador added that the Yemeni authorities were ready to have not only the Houthi-held Sanaa airport, but all other airports open for local flights, whereas international flights should be carried out from the airport in Aden, the government's de facto capital.

"Yemen government delegation in reference to the proposal of the airport of Sanaa expressed its readiness for all the airports in Yemen to be open for local flights, and that international flights should be from the International Airport of Aden, as this is an issue of sovereignty for government of Yemen and in implementation of international legitimacy resolutions to ensure the prohibition of the importing of weapons," he outlined.

The Yemeni conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels has been raging for several years. The Saudi-led coalition carries out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015.