Al-Kathiri Discusses with UN Envoy Office Head Developments in Political Process and Peace Efforts
SMA NEWS – ADEN THE CAPITAL
The Chairman of the National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, received today, Sunday, in his office, Mr. Edward Jackson, office head of the UN Special Envoy in the capital, Aden.
During the meeting, the latest political developments were reviewed in light of the endeavours being made by the international community and the brothers in the region to end the war as a first step to reaching a comprehensive and effective political settlement that establishes a just and sustainable peace.
The Chairman of the Assembly reiterated the adherence of the STC and the people of the South to developing a special framework for the cause of the people of the South, which was agreed on in the Riyadh consultations by all parties, and the necessity of involving representatives of the STC in all stages of the negotiation to reach the final settlement and not to postpone any part of the pivotal issues, pointing out that this is fundamental to securing a just and sustainable peace in the country and the entire region.
Furthermore, Mr. Al-Kathiri underscored the importance of the UN paying more attention to addressing the collapsed humanitarian, economic, and service conditions in the South and taking this into consideration as an urgent necessity to improve the living conditions of citizens.
Al-Kathiri asserted the STC’s categorical rejection of the extortions of the Houthi militia and its unrealistic demands about the salary file, pointing out that the resources of the South are a prerogative right of its people, and they are the ones who decide their fate, and that any proposals that might be made regarding sharing oil revenues in light of the deteriorating living conditions of the people of the South will never be accepted.
Al-Kathiri was briefed by Mr. Jackson on the work of the National Assembly and its administrative body, which is considered a parliament for the South and an important step towards strengthening the democratic process within the STC, by involving all the southern political forces and components that signed the Southern National Charter, in addition to the components that had previously existed since its founding, and taking into account all segments of society, especially the youth and women, as per the criteria of area and population among the governorates.
For his part, the Head of the Office of the UN Envoy, Mr. Jackson, affirmed that the UN Envoy has been continuing peace endeavours and arranging to launch a viable political process with the participation of all active parties, leading to a deal that ends the war and establishes a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace, appreciating the support of the STC for the UN Envoy’s efforts to achieve that purpose.
The meeting was attended by Brett Scott and Tamani Obaid from the Political Section of the Office of the UN Envoy, Nasr Harhra, the Assembly’s Rapporteur, Abdul-Fattah Al-Shaeri, head of the Assembly’s Foreign Relations Affairs Committee, Najeeb Qaed Farea, Head of the Organizations Department in the General Directorate of Foreign Affairs of the STC, and Riyad Khaled, Office Head of the Chairman of the Assembly.
