Dr. Al-Khobaji meets the Ambassador of the European Union to Yemen
SMA NEWS – RIYADH
Dr. Nasser Al-Khobaji, member of the Presidency of the Southern Transitional Council, head of the Council’s Negotiations Affairs Unit, received on Sunday, at his residence in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the Ambassador of the European Union to Yemen, Hans Grodenberg.
In the meeting, Dr. Nasser Al-Khobaji welcomed the Ambassador Grodenberg, praising the efforts of the European Union to support the comprehensive political process and the ceasefire, as well as the constructive roles and European support in humanitarian work.
Al-Khobaji also praised the great efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to implement the Riyadh Agreement and support stability and development in the liberated governorates, noting that Saudi Arabia plays a pivotal role in various fields and is respected and appreciated by all our people.
Dr. Al-Khobaji reviewed the situation in Shabwa governorate, Hadramout valley, and parts of Abyan governorate since the removal of the Elite Forces and the Security Belt from those areas, as it witnessed the return of the activity and gatherings of al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorist elements, under the cover of the Brotherhood’s Islah Party forces controlling those areas, in addition to intermittent operations and enmity, repression, kidnappings and continuous arrests carried out by Islah forces against citizens and people of other provinces passing through the international path between Hadramout and Aden, noting that these hostile acts impede the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi to implement the Riyadh Agreement, which requires giving priority to addressing the security file in Shabwa and the return of the Shabwani elite and the Security Belt to play their role in combating terrorism, maintaining security and securing the international line.
Al-Khobaji also stressed the importance of the government’s return to the country and carrying out its tasks entrusted to it towards the people, noting that the security situation and the unremitting efforts made by the local authorities in the capital, Aden, has witnessed a remarkable improvement in recent months, as effective security campaigns that are organized to prevent carrying weapons, and to seize violating vehicles, and organize work and security in the capital.
The head of the Negotiations Affairs Unit stressed that the completion of the implementation of the provisions of the military and security arrangements of the Riyadh Agreement requires the start of restructuring the ministries of interior and defense.
On the level of the comprehensive political process, Al-Khobaji pointed out to the need to expedite the formation of the joint negotiating delegation between the two parties to the Riyadh Agreement, and stressed that the Southern Transitional Council is still in its supportive position to end the war and enter into a comprehensive political process that accommodates all actors on the ground and the central issues, foremost of which are the issue of the people of the south, which represents the main cause and roots of the current crisis, indicating that the Southern Transitional Council will not be bound by any partial or selective results or solutions that do not accommodate the reality in the south, and the aspirations of the people of the south, their national cause, and their popular representative.
Dr. Al-Khobaji called on the European Union and regional and international actors to play a constructive role in increasing the humanitarian support, and working to stop the war and reforming financial policies.
For his part, the ambassador affirmed the EU’s support for peace efforts and for the Saudi role in implementing the Riyadh Agreement.
The meeting was attended by the member and rapporteur of the Negotiations Affairs Unit, Anis Al-Sharafi, and the representative of the General Department of Foreign Affairs, Adel Al-Shabhi, and Dr. Abdelwahab Al-Matri.
