September Net

Yemen’s political parties have voiced their worry that the Stockholm Agreement of 13 December between the government and Houthi militia could legitimize rather than withdraw the arms in the hands of the rebels.

In a meeting with the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths in Riyadh on Tuesday, the leaders of the parties voiced the worry that the wording of the agreement allows for the “re-deployment” of the Houthi arms rather than withdrawing it as called for by the UN Security Council resolution no. 2216of 2015 and the rest of the terms of reference for peace.

The leaders said the Houthi retention of arms will pose a direct threat to peace and the future of any political settlement.

They pointed to the foot-dragging approach of Houthis with regards to implementing their part of the Agreement in continuation of the rebel militia’s deeply ingrained conduct.

They cited the militia’s recent shelling of the WFP’s warehouses in Hodeidah, refusal to open safe corridors for humanitarian aid from Hodeidah to the capital Sana’a and other violations and deceptive circumventions around the Agreement.

They called on Griffiths to declare the name of the obstructers of this Agreement so as not to allow them an open-ended chance to get around the UN resolutions.

They also called for a stern action against the militia’s continued abuses of civilians.

Giffiths on his part voiced his concern over the failure to implement the Agreement saying without the implementation it would be difficult to organize another round of peace talks between the government and the Houthis.