UAE-backed south Yemen body disinvited from UN talks

The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has been disinvited from the UN brokered Geneva talks over the Yemen war after the internationally recognised President of Yemen, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, rejected the presence of the STC at the negotiation table.

In its official response, the STC accused Martin Griffiths, the UN’s special envoy to Yemen, of being unreasonable.

Griffiths had however praised the STC’s “positive role” in finding political solutions to the conflict late last month in Jordan’s capital, Amman.

Southern Transitional Council (STC) were disinvited from the Geneva consultations based on President #Hadi & #Houthis‘ request despite @OSE_Yemen‘s initial assurances of their importance as actors in the peace process. Sidelining #STC is signaling another deeper conflict. #Yemen https://t.co/81HJQ4g7iF

— Fatima Alasrar (@YemeniFatima) September 4, 2018

The STC were “surprised” by Hadi’s position, adding that they were frustrated that the Iranian aligned Houthis were “required” to join talks at Geneva.

“We have become a major part of it [the war] and can not be stopped without us,” the STC statement read. The group added that it would not implement the outcomes of any consultation or negotiations made without it.

The STC called on the southerners to “reject” and “boycott” any consultation in which they are absent and to protest in a peaceful way. We confirm that any attempts to bypass the realities in the South or manipulate the aims and sacrifices of the Southern people will be destined to failure”.

Military alliance ‘quandary’

Last year,UAE-backed STC forces joined in a military alliance with Hadi on the west coast of Yemen in an effort to retake the strategic port city of Hudaydah and the capital Sanaa from Houthi control. However, the UAE-backed political council has not said whether or not it will continue the alliance in light of Hadi’s refusal to include them in the negotiations.

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