Yemen: Houthis may reject GCC dialogue invitation

A Houthi official in Yemen has responded to media reports which claim that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) may invite the group for dialogue in Saudi Arabia. The move would be part of an initiative aimed at backing UN-led peace efforts, reported Reuters, and other parties would also be invited.

However, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, a former head of the group’s Revolutionary Council, pointed out on Twitter that, “Riyadh is a party to the war, not a mediator.”

He suggested that the Houthis “may not agree” to go to the Saudi capital, despite being invited as “guests” of GCC Secretary General Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf at the organisation’s headquarters, and being provided with his “security guarantees”.

Reuters quoted two Gulf officials as saying that formal invitations would be sent within days for talks on military, political and economic aspects of the war between the Iran-aligned Houthis and a coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

READ: Houthi official says Saudi Arabia cannot be a mediator in the Yemen war