Martin Griffiths, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen, is to return to the region in a tour that promotes his two initiatives on the city of Hodeida and a comprehensive solution in Yemen, after briefing the Security Council and receiving international support.
Griffiths, who started his mission in March, will meet with Yemen's President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in Riyadh on Monday to discuss the developments on his Hodeida initiative to limit tension and avoid military escalation, informed sources said.
Another western source affirmed that the envoy received signs from Houthi insurgents that they will study his proposal. However, some Yemeni officials believe that the envoy is overly optimistic and that the militias are not sincere.
The western source added that the envoy hopes to persuade both parties to accept the arrangements made by the UN to resolve the problem of Hodeida. The envoy will then seek to hold official peace talks on a comprehensive settlement.
This was mentioned in Thursday’s Security Council statement, which “encouraged all parties to engage constructively” with the UN’s “efforts to progress a political solution” in Yemen.
The Yemeni government and Arab Coalition members have announced on several occasions their support for the efforts exerted by the UN envoy.
Griffiths is expected next to travel to Sanaa to meet the Houthis and seek a solution on Hodeida.
