New York: Reaffirming a strong commitment to Yemen’s unity and unwavering support to the people of the conflict-ridden country, India on Thursday (local time) said that it is deeply disappointed that the warring parties in the country have not agreed to an extension of the truce. A truce between Yemen’s internationally recognised government and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels ended on October 2.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj at a United Nations Security Council meeting on Yemen said, ‘India is deeply disappointed to learn that the parties have not agreed to an extension and expansion of the truce’. The only sustainable solution to the conflict, Kamboj said is a ‘peacefully negotiated, Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political settlement’ that prioritizes the well-being of all Yemenis and meets their legitimate aspirations.
Welcoming the commitment shown by the Government of Yemen in implementing the truce agreements in good faith, the envoy noted that it is time for warring parties to take a human-centric approach to the conflict and not merely view it as a military or political game. ‘We take note that negotiations on truce renewal, facilitated by the Special Envoy, are underway and, we hope that a mutually satisfactory agreement is reached soon’, she said. India appreciated the flexibility shown by the Yemeni Government on the proposals made by the Special Envoy. India urged Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) to reciprocate this flexibility and engage with the Special Envoy constructively.
In the meantime, India also urged all parties to maintain the spirit of the truce and refrain from provocations or any military action that could lead to the resumption of active hostilities. The conflict so far has already resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian tragedy in Yemen with an enormous loss of lives, endangering millions of civilians with chronic food insecurity, as well as exacerbating the miseries of the people, particularly women and children. ‘We have seen the tangible benefits of the truce in the past six months: active military operations had ceased; cross-border strikes into Yemen’s neighbours had halted; civilian casualties had dropped significantly; fuel imports through Hudaydah port had eased shortages, and international commercial flights out of Sana’a airport had resumed’, Kamboj said at UNSC meeting.
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