Turkey is ready to support dialogue between Yemeni factions, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a phone call, according to his office.
The phone call came after Saudi Arabia had accepted a request from Rashad Al Alimi, the chief of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), to hold talks in Riyadh and called on all southern factions to join the conference.
Turkey "stands ready to contribute to the efforts aimed at bringing the parties together in Yemen", Mr Erdogan's office said.
Yemen has been at war since the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group ousted the government in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention. An internal dispute, however, has developed among factions loosely grouped under the government.
The STC, an umbrella group of powerful southern armed factions seeking to restore an independent southern state, recently seized control of Hadhramaut and Mahra from other pro-government forces, effectively consolidating its grip over much of southern Yemen. Saudi Arabia rejected the move.
The group said his actions followed what it described as the failure of other pro-government factions to launch a serious campaign against the Houthis in their northern strongholds, including the capital Sanaa.
Rivals of the STC, acting on orders from Mr Al Alimi, moved to regain full control of the oil-rich south-eastern province of Hadhramaut and the strategic port of Mukalla.
The Saudi government said the proposed dialogue between the rivals was aimed at developing a comprehensive vision for “just solutions” to the issue in Yemen that “fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the southern people".
The STC, which welcomed Saudi Arabia’s call for dialogue, has announced a two-year transitional period culminating in a referendum on self-determination. It currently controls the interim capital, Aden.
The Turkish President said his country was monitoring developments not only in Yemen but also in Somalia. He added that preserving the territorial integrity of both countries was important for regional stability, after Israel recognised the breakaway territory of Somaliland as a nation late last month, a move condemned by Saudi Arabia and many other nations.
Meanwhile, in Cairo, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Monday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.
The Egyptian Presidency said in a statement that the two sides discussed several issues of common interest. They affirmed the two countries' shared view that peaceful solutions to regional crises must preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries, especially in Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, and Gaza.
President Sisi also expressed appreciation for the kingdom's efforts to host a conference that brings together Yemenis for dialogue.
