Yemeni PM: We would accept ‘internationally recognised’ peace deal

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid Bin Daghr yesterday reiterated that his government would accept a peace deal which passes through internationally recognised channels, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Bin Daghr’s remarks came during an expanded meeting for the executive bureau of Marib Governorate and the local authority, which was held after the announcement of reaching an agreement in Muscat to stop fighting in Yemen, starting today and resuming negotiations at the end of this month.

“The government wants peace which passes through internationally-recognised channels based on the gulf initiative and its executive mechanisms, as well as based on the outcomes of the national dialogue conference and the UN Security Council resolution 2,216,” Bin Daghr said.

He stressed that anyone wants to make peace in Yemen excluding these references is “eluded”.

“In this stage,” he said, “we want justice and equality: justice which maintains our high values and united Yemen, while equality which raises the value of the Yemeni citizens and achieves equality among all of the Yemeni castes.”

Bin Daghr insisted that the Yemenis would not accept the “reinforcement of racism and tribal preferences,” noting that Yemenis have rejected and still fighting against these “ideologies and behaviours”.

On Tuesday, the US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Yemen’s Houthi group and the Saudi-led coalition fighting it had agreed to a ceasefire starting today, as Washington presses for an end to the war before President Barack Obama leaves office.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi said: “These remarks [about the ceasefire] are an attempt to thwart peace efforts by reaching an agreement with the rebels and circumventing the legitimate government.”

“The US administration wants to achieve an accomplishment before the end of its mandate through an unfounded agreement.”