Yemen's Presidential Council Discusses with UN Envoy Renewal of Truce

Head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg (Saba)
Head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg (Saba)
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Yemen's Presidential Council Discusses with UN Envoy Renewal of Truce

Head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg (Saba)
Head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi with UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg (Saba)

Head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi has met UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg and his assistant, Muin Shreim, to discuss the Yemeni crisis and a possible renewal of the truce.

Alimi was briefed by the UN envoy regarding his recent local, regional, and international meetings. They also addressed the efforts to renew the truce and resume a comprehensive political process under the UN auspices.

In the meeting, the Chairman informed the UN envoy about the Houthi militias' violations of public rights and freedoms, their mobilization, and ongoing violations on various fronts, including their recent cross-border attacks.

Alimi affirmed the commitment of the Presidential Council and the government to support the efforts of the UN envoy following the terms of reference agreed upon nationally, regionally, and internationally.

The Yemeni official reiterated the need to pressure the Houthi militias to prioritize the Yemeni people's interests over the interests of their leaders.

He also called for pushing them to address the ongoing efforts to renew the truce seeking to alleviate human suffering and revive hope for restoring security and stability in the country.



EU’s Kallas Says She Hopes for Political Agreement on Easing Syria Sanctions

In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)
In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)
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EU’s Kallas Says She Hopes for Political Agreement on Easing Syria Sanctions

In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)
In this photograph taken on January 12, 2025, a vendor waits for customers at her mobile shop in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital. (AFP)

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday she hopes a political agreement on easing Syria sanctions can be reached at a gathering of European ministers next week.

EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Syria during a meeting in Brussels on Jan. 27.

European officials began rethinking their approach towards Syria after Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president by opposition forces led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which the United Nations designates as a terrorist group.

Some European capitals want to move quickly to suspend economic sanctions in a signal of support for the transition in Damascus. Others have sought to ensure that even if some sanctions are eased, Brussels retains leverage in its relationship with the new Syrian authorities.

“We are ready to do step-for-step approach and also to discuss what is the fallback position,” Kallas told Reuters in an interview.

“If we see that the developments are going in the wrong direction, then we are also willing to put them back,” she added.

Six EU member states called this month for the bloc to temporarily suspend sanctions on Syria in areas such as transport, energy and banking.

Current EU sanctions include a ban on Syrian oil imports and a freeze on any Syrian central bank assets in Europe.