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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Tuesday for a cessation of hostilities in Yemen and said U.N.-led negotiations to end the civil war should begin next month.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at reporters during a news briefing at the State Department in Washington, U.S., October 23, 2018. REUTERS / Cathal McNaughton / File Photo
In a statement, Pompeo said missile and drone strikes by Iran-allied Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should stop, and the Saudi-led coalition must cease air strikes in all populated areas of Yemen.
Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world's humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by a nearly four-year-old war against the United Arab Emirates, the UAE and the West.
"The time is now for the cessation of hostilities, including missile and UAV strikes from Houthi-controlled areas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates," Pompeo said, using an acronym for unmanned aerial vehicles.
"Subsequently, Coalition air strikes must cease in all populated areas in Yemen," he added.
The United States helps the coalition by refueling its jets and providing training in targeting. Pompeo said last month that he had certified to the U.S. Congress that Saudi Arabia and the UAE were working to reduce civilian casualties in Yemen.
Three-quarters of Yemen's population, 22 million people, require help and 8.4 million people are on the brink of starvation.
U.N. Special Envoys for Yemen Martin Griffiths said earlier this month that the United Nations hoped for more consultations between the warring sides by November.
Both Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis voiced support for the U.N. effort.
Mattis, addressing a Washington on Tuesday, defended U.S. efforts to help reduce casualties by the Saudi-led coalition.
Mattis added that the Saudis and Emiratis appeared ready to embrace efforts by Griffiths to find a negotiated solution to the conflict.
"We've got to move towards a peace effort here. And we can not wait for sometime in the future. We need to do this in the next 30 days, "Mattis said.
Pompeo said the consultations planned by Griffiths should start in November "to implement confidence-building measures to address the underlying issues of the conflict, the demilitarization of borders, and the concentration of all weapons under international observation."
A cessation of hostilities and resumption of a political crisis, Pompeo said.
Reporting by Phil Stewart, Eric Beech and Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Peter Cooney
