The EU regrets the refusal of the Houthis to reopen roads in Taiz and asks to extend the truce in Yemen since August

July 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The European Union (EU) has said “regret” the decision of the Houthis to reject the latest United Nations proposal for the reopening of roads in Yemen, mainly in the province of Taiz, within the framework of efforts to bring positions closer and promote a peace process after the truce agreed at the beginning of April.

“The reopening of roads is a crucial humanitarian element of the truce, along with the shipment of fuel through the port of Hodeida and commercial flights to and from Sanaa,” he said, before asking the Houthis to “reconsider” their decision and “accept” the proposal of the UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg.

Likewise, a spokesman for the European External Action Service has asked “all parties” to accept a new six-month extension of the truce from August 2, when it is scheduled to expire. “This is what the Yemeni people want and deserve after suffering for too long from the conflict,” he added.

“The truce has broken the diplomatic deadlock and achieved unprecedented tangible benefits for the Yemenis, so this momentum must not be lost. The EU reiterates its full support for the UN-led peace efforts seeking to end the conflict. in Yemen,” he stressed.

The Houthis’ Supreme Political Council said on Saturday that it rejected any pact stemming from US President Joe Biden’s visit to the region and criticized his talks with Riyadh about the possible extension of the truce, which he described as an experience ” disappointing” that “cannot be repeated in the future”, as reported by the Yemeni news agency SABA.

The organization emphasized that external interference in Yemeni affairs is “a great obstacle to peace” and called for a “clear and serious” will from the countries that are part of the international coalition so that they “respect the sovereignty and independence of Yemen” and seek “practical ways to end the aggression, lift the siege and end the occupation and military presidency in Yemen.”

“We have presented many initiatives and concessions to alleviate the suffering and encourage the coalition of aggression to participate in peace, without results. The aggressor countries stick to the blockade and prevent the flow of ships to the port of Hodeida and, while opening their airspace to the Israeli enemy, insist without justification and arbitrarily to close Yemeni airspace and ports, in a war crime before the entire international community, which is an accomplice of the enemy,” he denounced.

The parties to the conflict agreed in early June to extend the truce announced in April for another two months, coinciding with the start of the month of Ramadan, according to Grundberg, without any further progress since then. The war in Yemen pits the internationally recognized government, now represented by the Presidential Leadership Council and supported by the aforementioned international coalition, against the Huthis, backed by Iran. The Houthis control the capital, Sana’a, and parts of the north and west of the country.