Al-Alimi Urges Pressure on Houthis, Blinken Describes Yemeni Leadership as Bold

Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi at a meeting in Jeddah with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Saba)
Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi at a meeting in Jeddah with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Saba)
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Al-Alimi Urges Pressure on Houthis, Blinken Describes Yemeni Leadership as Bold

Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi at a meeting in Jeddah with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Saba)
Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi at a meeting in Jeddah with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Saba)

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi discussed the situation in Yemen with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a meeting in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Saturday.

After reviewing developments in Yemen and the costly war caused by Iran-backed Houthi militias, al-Alimi called for more pressure on the militias to implement the ongoing truce.

Al-Alimi stressed the PLC’s commitment to realizing a just and comprehensive peace, based on national, regional, and international references, especially UN Security Council Resolution 2216.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara A. Leaf, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking, and Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak attended the meeting.

Al-Alimi called for an active US role to pressure the Houthi militias to implement the terms of the truce, according to a statement carried by Yemen's state news agency Saba.

“We found great appreciation from the US for the concessions made by the Yemeni government to make the truce succeed, despite the Houthis’ lack of commitment,” Mubarak told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“The US also underscored its support for the PLC and the reforms it is implementing,” he added.

“I met Yemeni PLC President al-Alimi in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss extending the UN truce to ease Yemenis’ suffering,” tweeted Blinken.

“I welcome the Government’s bold leadership on the truce. We must see meaningful Houthi action to allow access to Taiz, Yemen,” added the State Secretary in the same tweet.

Blinken underlined his country's commitment to supporting Yemen's unity, sovereignty, and stability, and to encourage regional and international allies to provide more economic and humanitarian support to the PLC, the government, and the Yemeni people.

He also stressed that his country is committed to pressuring Houthi militias to fulfill their obligations under the armistice.



Lebanese President Says ‘Forbidden’ to Return to War Rhetoric

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with the French delegation on Monday. (Lebanese Presidency)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with the French delegation on Monday. (Lebanese Presidency)
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Lebanese President Says ‘Forbidden’ to Return to War Rhetoric

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with the French delegation on Monday. (Lebanese Presidency)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with the French delegation on Monday. (Lebanese Presidency)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Monday it was “forbidden to return to war rhetoric,” while reiterating that the decision to limit the possession of arms to the state “has been taken.”

The issue is being addressed calmly and responsibly in order to protect civil peace, he stressed while meeting a delegation from the French Senate at the Baabda Palace.

Aoun added that the Lebanese army was carrying out its duties in full south of the Litani River in line with the ceasefire agreement reached in November, according to a presidency statement.

It continues to clear villages and towns of ammunition and armed presence, he went on to say, remarking that the process will take some time because of the large area that will be covered.

The main obstacle preventing the army from reaching the southern border is Israel’s occupation of five hilltops, which Aoun said, have no military significance.

Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the area is complicating matters and preventing stability from being restored to the border, which makes their pullout necessary so that the Lebanese army can continue its deployment and allow the state to impose its authority across the country, the president urged.

He told the French delegation that the army is deployed along the northern and eastern borders and is carrying out its duties there, especially combating terrorism, human-trafficking and drug smuggling.

Aoun stressed that he is in contact with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to coordinate over border issues to prevent any unrest.

Joint committees have been formed after Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s visit to Damascus in order to address pending issues, especially the demarcation of the land and maritime borders and Syrian refugees still in Lebanon, Aoun said.

Now that war in Syria is over, the refugees who are still in Lebanon are staying for economic reasons, he explained, saying that Beirut has called on the international community to provide them with assistance to allow them to go back to their country.

The assistance should not be paid in Lebanon, which will only encourage the refugees to stay, he noted.