The new head of the observer mission in Yemen, former Danish general Michael Lollesgaard, has succeeded in pushing talks between the Yemeni government and Houthi representatives forward by strongly rejecting that the militia obstruct the implementation of the first phase of the redeployment operation in the port city of Hodeidah, an informed ministerial source told Asharq Al-Awsat Thursday.
During the first day of his mission, Lollesgaard, who is staying aboard an international ship off Hodeidah, received from representatives of the legitimate government and Houthis, their plan for the redeployment of forces in Hodeidah based on the Stockholm Agreement.
The UN envoy then held separate talks with each of the warring parties.
“The Danish General convened a direct meeting between representatives of both sides to discuss controversial issues,” the source said, expressing optimism that in the coming days, Lollesgaard would be able to remove Houthi obstacles, ahead of implementing the Stockholm Agreement.
On Thursday, the United Nations said in a statement that Yemen’s warring parties have reached a preliminary compromise on how to implement a truce and troop withdrawal accord in Hodeidah.
“A preliminary compromise was agreed, pending further consultation by the parties with their respective leaders,” according to the statement, which comes following three days of talks aboard the UN vessel docked in Hodeidah.
It added that during the latest talks, the two sides “worked together constructively to resolve outstanding issues related to the mutual redeployment of forces and the opening of humanitarian corridors” but “challenges remain.”
According to the UN statement, the two sides are expected to reconvene next week to finalize details concerning redeployment.
Meanwhile, western media sources said the UN is studying a plan to arrange the deployment of 75 UN observers, who could stay, as of next March, on the ship moored off Hodeidah.
