New UN Proposal Rules Out Reopening Any Main Routes in Yemen’s Taiz

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at San'a Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at San'a Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)
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New UN Proposal Rules Out Reopening Any Main Routes in Yemen’s Taiz

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at San'a Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at San'a Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)

United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg made a new proposal to reopen routes to Taiz and other Yemeni regions.

Unexpectedly, however, he ruled out reopening any main roads that connect Taiz to other cities, taking into consideration all the proposals submitted by the Iran-backed Houthi militias.

Trusted sources said the envoy surprised the legitimate government with his proposal, which he handed in on Sunday.

Grundberg’s previous proposals on Taiz had called for reopening the main routes.

The envoy had met with a Houthi delegation in the Jordanian capital Amman over the past two days.

The Yemeni government was not invited to attend.

Days earlier, Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi had informed Grundberg his refusal to tackle any issues with the Houthis before they lift their siege on Taiz and reopen roads.

A Yemeni official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the envoy’s new proposal drops the demand to reopen the main route. The Houthis had rejected the opening of the main road.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said: “Unfortunately, not enough pressure was exerted on the Houthis to reopen the road to address pressing humanitarian needs.”

“Instead, pressure is being exerted on the Arab coalition and legitimate forces to renew the truce,” he added.

It is unreasonable to discuss a four-point UN agreement, when three of these points favor the Houthis, and stalling prevails when it comes to reopening the routes to Taiz and other regions, he continued.

“The Houthis are stalling and wasting time during every truce and they will suffer the consequences of its failure,” he warned.



Iraqi and Syrian Leaders Meet in Qatar, Marking a Significant First Encounter

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)
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Iraqi and Syrian Leaders Meet in Qatar, Marking a Significant First Encounter

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met on Thursday in Qatar with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the first encounter between the two leaders, Iraqi and Syrian state news agencies reported.

The meeting was brokered by Qatar, with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani present. It came ahead of Sharaa's expected attendance at the Arab Summit in Baghdad on May 17.

In January, Sharaa was named as interim president and pledged to form an inclusive transitional government that would build up Syria's gutted public institutions and run the country until elections, which he said could take up to five years to hold.

Syria issued a constitutional declaration, designed to serve as the foundation for the interim period led by Sharaa. The declaration kept a central role for Islamic law and guaranteed women's rights and freedom of expression.

During Thursday's meeting, al-Sudani called for the beginning of a comprehensive political process and the protection of social, religious, and national diversity in Syria, especially after an attack on Alawites last month.

The Iraqi prime minister also stressed the importance of the new Syrian government taking serious steps to combat ISIS militants.

He said progress made on these issues could help in building growing relations between Baghdad and Damascus.

Both leaders agreed to respect the sovereignty of the two countries and reject all kinds of foreign interference.