A consultative meeting on southern Yemen was held in Riyadh on Sunday, marking a return of the southern issue to the forefront of the regional scene. The meeting brought together leaderships, elders and senior figures from the South.
Saudi Arabia has been exerting firm efforts to steer the southern issue clear of political tensions and open conflicts and more towards dialogue that would lead to just solutions that would resolve pending disputes.
Sunday's meeting paves the way for a conference on southern Yemen hosted by Riyadh as part of its efforts to support a comprehensive political solution that tackles the southern issue and boosts security and stability in Yemen and the region.
The meeting was held amid unprecedented complications in Yemen and political, security and economic challenges facing the South. At the upcoming Riyadh conference, the gatherers will aim to reach a common vision on the South that is based on dialogue away from escalation and violence.
A closing statement following the consultative talks said the meeting reflects the South's collective will to reach a "just, secure and sustainable solution to the Southern issue."
A political path based on dialogue is the only way to avert more divisions and internal conflicts in the South, said the statement read by Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) member Abou Zaraa Al-Mahrami.
The participants "sensed during their direct meetings with Saudi leaderships and officials clear unconditional support for the legitimate demands of the southerners, starting with their right to reach a comprehensive political solution that ensures their dignity, security and stability," it added.
This path ensures the southerners' right to determine their political fate through a mechanism that does not marginalize any party, it went on to say.
The statement underscored "the southerners' options, including shaping the state and its political future, are their rights and their rights alone."
The upcoming Riyadh dialogue is a "rare historic opportunity" to set the southern issue back on the right path, said the statement, warning against attempts to undermine this opportunity by sparking side conflicts that serve regional parties that want chaos to persist.
Observers have said that the southern issue had been greatly undermined by controversial political and financial practices and by parties placing their own interests above national ones.
Saudi Arabia's sponsorship of the cause has one again returned it to the forefront in Yemen and made it an indispensable part of a comprehensive political solution in the country, they continued.
The statement called on the international community to support the renewed efforts related to the southern issue and to respect the aspirations of the southerners, saying this is critical to any comprehensive and sustainable settlement.
Commenting on the demonstrations that had taken place in the interim capital Aden, the statement said they reflect legitimate popular demands related to the southern issue and difficult living conditions.
The gatherers in Riyadh were also severely critical of Abu Dhabi's role in Yemen. Observers have said that the United Arab Emirates' role in supporting certain parties and not others helped deepen divisions in the South, prolong chaos and obstruct a comprehensive political solution.
The observers noted international reports that detected a similar approach adopted by the UAE in other countries, such as Sudan, Libya and Somalia, where its backing of local factions deepened crises instead of resolving them.
They contrasted this with Saudi Arabia's approach that supports the state, dialogue, stability and development.
The observers warned that the persistence of foreign meddling that deepens divisions in Yemen may force Riyadh to take a firmer stance to protect dialogue, to ensure that counter-terrorism efforts are not undermined and to achieve security and stability in Yemen.
