Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al Jaber said that the Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemen made significant compromises in this month's peace talks in Sweden.
The militias agreed to retreat from Hodeidah and facilitate access of humanitarian aid to millions of Yemenis.
The challenge now remains in ensuring the militias live by their commitments, he stressed.
He told the Wall Street Journal that his country wants Yemen to capitalize from this new opportunity for peace.
“That means no more rationalizing of Houthi violations whether the orders come from Sanaa or Tehran. And it means no signals from foreign capitals that the world is divided on the Houthis’ military aggression.”
Al Jaber, who is also the CEO of Isnad Center for Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations in Yemen and oversees the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen, stressed that Saudi Arabia’s critics often miss this point: “The Saudi-led coalition’s military action has been essential in driving the Houthis into a negotiation.”
“Saudi diplomatic leadership alongside the UN and other international partners has helped chart the path to peace.”
“I found renewed hope in the scenes of amity between representatives of Yemen’s legitimate government and the Houthis,” the ambassador said.
“The two sides, locked in conflict since the Houthis’ violent coup in 2014, sat down for eight days of negotiation at a castle near Stockholm.”
“They shook hands, smiled, broke bread. Most significant, they struck agreements that could dramatically improve the lives of Yemenis, and advance peace, security and stability,” he added.
Saudi Arabia’s goal in Yemen is the restoration of Yemen’s unity, independence, sovereignty and stability under a legitimate and recognized government that can serve the Yemeni people.
“This month’s diplomatic progress, almost unthinkable until recently, should inspire optimism in everyone. We must all work together to bring peace to Yemen,” Al Jaber noted.
Al Jaber considered the Hodeidah agreement as a key part of the puzzle.
“Under United Nations special envoy Martin Griffiths’ deal, the Houthis are to pull back from the port and city, restoring the government’s authority,” he explained, adding that the UN will play a leading role in the port to improve the flow of aid to Yemeni civilians.
Houthis will have a harder time exploiting Hodeidah to smuggle arms, abuse aid workers, extort civilians and divert humanitarian assistance, he said.
The ambassador pointed out that Saudi Arabia has stood proudly by Yemen’s government since the day it asked for help.
“We have spent billions on aid and reconstruction efforts in Yemen, our brotherly neighbor and more than any other country in the world.”
“Our assistance to Yemen’s legitimate government—military, economic and diplomatic, has made the current negotiations possible,” Al Jaber affirmed, noting that had Saudi Arabia done nothing, Yemen would have become a failed state, divided between an Iranian proxy force and other terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda and ISIS.
