Al-Khobaji discusses with US Deputy Chargé d’Affairs efforts to implement Riyadh Agreement and political process
SMA NEWS – Riyadh
Dr. Nasser Al-Khobaji, member of the Presidency of the Southern Transitional Council and head of the Negotiations Affairs Unit, received on Tuesday, Christopher Deutsch, Deputy Chargé d’Affairs of the US Ambassador to Yemen.
In the meeting, Dr. Al-Khobaji praised the efforts led by the US envoy, Tim Lenderking, and the strategy adopted by the new US administration to end the war and establish peace by getting into a comprehensive political process that includes all the issues and the active forces on the ground.
Al-Khobaji stressed that any efforts or movements that do not comprehend the dimensions of conflict, and the forces and issues with their roots and causes, which go back to the beginning of the 90s, since the coup against unity and the persecution and occupation of the South, will only lead to more conflicts and wars, stressing on the right of the people of the South to determine their destiny and to restore their independent state as a right guaranteed and approved by international laws and legislation.
Al-Khobaji also stressed the need for the participation of the Transitional Council in the all ongoing consultations to prepare for a comprehensive political process that includes all the actors on the ground, which are emerged after the UN Security Council Resolution 2216 of 2015.
Dr. Al-Khobaji called on the American side to fix the imbalance caused by the absence of the main issues and forces, at the forefront of which is the issue of the people of the South and its representative, the Southern Transitional Council, from the negotiating table, pointing out that this matter is one of the most important reasons for prolonging the conflict, noting that in the case of the absence of the Transitional Council in those consultations, it will not be obligated to implement their results.
Dr. Al-Khobaji praised the effective role and great efforts made by the Arab coalition countries led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to implement the Riyadh Agreement, and to serve the stability and development in the liberated governorates, combat terrorism and extremism, protect common interests, and to mobilize efforts and capabilities to confront the Iranian Houthi tide, and confront the hostile challenges and dangers woven by local forces, supported by regional parties targeting the security and stability of the South and the entire region.
Dr. Al-Khobaji reviewed the efforts of the Southern Transitional Council, and the pioneering experience of the southern forces in combating terrorism, especially the efforts of the elite in Shabwa governorate, which charted a distinguished model, and achieved remarkable successes, noting that the war that was waged on Shabwa governorate and its elite in August 2019 left a catastrophic situation that led to the re-infiltration of the spread of terrorist groups and the significant expansion of their activities, as the southern armed forces became a major target for that group, with the support and facilitation of well-known political forces, calling on the United States of America and the Arab coalition led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support the southern forces to combat terrorism, and to stop the bloodshed that affects the people of the South as a result of the treacherous terrorist operations that target them almost daily.
For his part, Mr. Christopher Deutsch stressed that the United States of America, through its Special Envoy, Tim Lenderking, pays special importance to the crisis in Yemen, calling on all parties for constructive and serious cooperation to end the war, and to enter into a comprehensive political process that accommodates all issues and active forces on the ground.
The meeting was attended by Nasser Huwaider, member of the negotiating delegation to implement the Riyadh Agreement, and Anis Al-Sharafi, member and rapporteur of the Negotiations Affairs Unit.
