The head of the Yemeni Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, headed to Jeddah on Thursday to hold high-level consultations, ahead of the Arab-US summit on Saturday, which will be held in the presence of the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Egypt and Jordan, the official Yemeni media reported.
Yemeni sources expected that a meeting would take place between Al-Alimi and US President Joe Biden in Jeddah, on the sidelines of the Jeddah summit on Friday and Saturday.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, the sources noted that the expected meeting “will last about 15 minutes” and will be unannounced.
Other Yemeni sources said that the head of the Yemeni Leadership Council would clarify ways to “correct the distorted image of the role of the countries of the coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen.”
They added that the talks “will address peace efforts, combating terrorism and the security of international navigation.”
According to the sources, Al-Alimi will present the official Yemeni position on peace initiatives, and the efforts required to push the Iranian-backed Houthi militias to deal seriously with the opportunities to revive the political process and end human suffering.
Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat published Thursday that Yemeni-US relations were “strategic and go beyond combating terrorism to supporting Yemeni state institutions and providing humanitarian aid.”
Bin Mubarak questioned the viability of the fragile UN truce in the country after the Houthi coup group refused to implement its commitments, the most important of which the opening of roads and crossings in the city of Taiz and other Yemeni areas, which have been besieged for years.
The Yemeni sources noted that Al-Alimi’s visit would see important discussions centered on the Yemeni situation, and the opportunities to extend the existing truce and build on it to achieve peace and stability in the country, in accordance with national and regional references and relevant international resolutions.
Saba reported that the head of the Leadership Council was looking forward to strengthening the unified international position in support of the Yemeni people and their legitimate leadership, as well as restoring the momentum of US and international backing for counter-terrorism efforts and the protection of shipping lanes.
Yemen has been witnessing a fragile truce since April 2, due to the escalation of Houthi field violations, in addition to the militias’ intransigence and their refusal to implement the clause related to opening roads and ending the siege on the city of Taiz.
The Yemeni army accused the militias of committing 146 violations on Monday and Tuesday on the fronts of Hodeidah, Taiz, Al-Dhalea, Lahj, Hajjah, Al-Jawf and Marib.
The Yemeni army forces also thwarted six infiltration attempts carried out by the Houthi militia towards important sites on the fronts of Sirwah, Al-Makhdara and Al-Kasara, west of Marib, towards military sites on the western front of Taiz city, and towards military sites on the Al-Fakher front in the Al-Dhalea axis.
