An unprecedented state of joy overwhelmed leaders of the Houthi militia following the arrival of a high-level delegation from the European Union to Sanaa after nearly three years of international and diplomatic isolation against pro-Iranian militias.
Although the purpose of the visit is humanitarian, leaders of the Houthi group regarded it as a political and diplomatic victory, meaning the world has recognized them.\
The delegation, which arrived to Sanaa on Monday, was headed by EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta.
Meanwhile, the legitimate Yemeni government revealed that the visit of the European delegation to Sanaa was done coordinated with it, and it ridiculed in a statement by an official source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs what Houthis have been saying, adding that the group is trying to invest the visit as a form of solidarity with them.
The official source revealed in the statement that the visit aims at pressuring the insurgents to accept the requirements of the peace process, cooperate with the new UN envoy, refrain from impeding humanitarian work and relief efforts and agree to release a number of European national detainees, some of which were sentenced to death.
“The visit of the European diplomats to Sanaa was coordinated with the Yemeni government, and they were granted entry visas,” the source said.
The Ambassador of the EU to Yemen revealed in a statement to the media that the visit will last three days and its purpose is humanitarian, as they are scheduled to report the suffering of Yemenis in the warfare county.
Yemeni observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that the European ambassadors might be on an undeclared mission in Sanaa to submit a draft of Western peace proposal to the Houthi militia leaders that was previously agreed upon with the legitimate government in Riyadh. This comes as part of the international efforts that pave the way for the work of the new UN envoy Martin Griffiths.
Notably, the delegation includes Dutch ambassador to Yemen Maria van Doe, French ambassador to Yemen Christian Tistot and, envoy of the Swedish foreign minister Hans Peter.
