Riyadh (South24) 

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced today that it will host consultations between the Yemeni parties in the General Secretariat of the council headquarter in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The GCC Secretary General Nayef Al-Hajraf said in press conference and released by Al-Arabiya that the consultations aim to reach a ceasefire, and all Yemeni parties will be invited to it.

Al-Hajraf explained that the consultations will take place between March 29 and April 7.

Regarding the points of the consultations, Al-Hajraf said that they will discuss 6 agendas, including military, security and political ones.

Al-Hajraf stressed that the GCC approach towards the Yemeni crisis is "steady". He added, "the solution to the Yemeni crisis is in the hands of the Yemenis themselves."

He indicated that about 500 people from various Yemeni parties and factions will be sent invitations to participate. He pointed out that the consultations "will not exclude anyone."

Al-Hajraf called for the development of a "road map" that would move Yemen from a state of war to a state of peace. "The consultations aim to open humanitarian corridors and achieve stability," he said.

Houthis

Reuters quoted Gulf officials on Tuesday that the Houthis will be invited to participate in the GCC-planned consultations.

According to the agency, Houthi officials will be "guests" of the GCC Secretary General at the council's headquarters in Riyadh and will receive his security guarantees if the group accepts the invitation.

On his Twitter account, yesterday, senior Houthi official Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, said that "the GCC call for dialogue is in fact the call of Riyadh."

Al-Houthi added: "Riyadh is a party to the war, not a mediator."

Yesterday, the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah channel quoted what it called an "official source" of the group's approval of "any dialogue with the Coalition countries in any neutral country".

Read more: GCC Plans Talks Between the Arab Coalition and Houthis (Details)

In a related context, the meetings of the UN Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, with representatives of Yemeni parties are continuing in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Today, Grundberg met with Yemeni military and security experts and civil society members. He said that he discussed with them the priorities for the security/military track, as part of his consultations framework.

Over the course of two weeks, the Swedish diplomat held bilateral meetings with representatives of the Islamic Islah Party, the Nasserist Party, the Socialist Party, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), and senior officials. 

South24 Center for News and Studies

Photo: Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, Secretary-General of the GCC, speaks during a press conference in Riyadh on March 17, 2022. (AFP)