ADEN — Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik said the consultations between the government and Houthis in Stockholm proved the government›s seriousness about peace.

Chairing a Yemeni Cabinet meeting, he said the consultations proved to the international community that the government has not been and will not be a hindrance to any real effort for establishing peace based on the three internationally agreed terms of reference.

He said, «What has been achieved with regard to the port city of Hodeida (in Stockholm) is a first step, but what matters is ensuring that it gets implemented without delay.”

Meanwhile, Yemen’s Foreign Minister Khalid Al-Yamani urged the UN to make Houthi rebels respect the ceasefire.

“We urge you to be tough when dealing with the Houthis to ensure their commitment to the agreement in Sweden, which includes a ceasefire and the full withdrawal of their militias from Hodeida’s three ports and city,” Al-Yamani said in a letter to UN envoy Martin Griffiths.

Al-Yamani warned that the Houthis should not be given the opportunity to exploit the period between the declaration of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of forces from Hodeida.

“They will continue to commit war crimes by looting and destroying the city,” Al-Yamani wrote.

The ceasefire in Yemen’s port city of Hodeida and its surroundings will start on Tuesday, a UN official said. — SG