UN urges Yemen talks, renewed ceasefire

The UN Security Council on Wednesday urged Yemen's warring parties to respect an already shaky ceasefire and to resume their inconclusive peace talks.

Talks in Switzerland between government and rebel representatives broke off over the weekend without result and there have been reports of ceasefire violations.

Meeting in New York, the 15-nation Security Council urged "all Yemeni parties to resume and accelerate United Nations-brokered inclusive political consultations."

The members also demanded that Yemeni ports be re-opened for trade and aid  "without delay," a criticism of a blockade mounted by a Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of the government side.
The top world body's member states expressed support for UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed's efforts to mediate a peaceful end to conflict and demanded that humanitarian agencies be allowed to work unhindered.

They "urged the Yemeni parties to fulfill commitments made during the talks and welcomed their commitment to a new round of talks in mid January 2016, building on the progress that has been achieved."

And they "condemned all violence, attempts or threats to use violence to intimidate those participating in United Nations-brokered consultations and emphasized that such action is unacceptable."

In Yemen, Shiite Huthi rebels have allied themselves with former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to take on government forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
Iran has supplied weapons to the Huthi, and Saudi Arabia -- with logistical support from the United States -- is leading a Sunni coalition campaign in support of Hadi.

UN humanitarian watchdogs have accused the Saudi-led coalition of the careless aerial bombing of civilian targets and Huthi forces of indiscriminate shelling.

According to UN figures, the war has killed 2,700 civilians, including 637 children, and left four fifths of the 21 million-strong population in need of humanitarian aid.
Source: AFP