Arab Parliament calls on Yemen's Houthis to complete Stockholm agreement

Progress on deal, including troop withdrawal from Hodeidah, has been stagnant

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Turkey's actions in the region had become a cause for concern. AFP 

The Arab Parliament on Monday called for the implementation of the UN-brokered Stockholm agreement by the warring parties in Yemen almost a year ago, but is yet to be fully executed.

The Parliament, part of the Arab League, repeated its endorsement of the December 13 ceasefire agreement between Yemen’s government and the Houthi rebels.

It calls for the “rapid mutual withdrawal” of fighters from Hodeidah and its three ports.

It also includes agreements on a prisoner swap and the formation of a committee to negotiate the future of Taez city. Neither has yet come to fruition.

Hodeidah is the international entry point for nearly 70 per cent of imports and humanitarian aid to Yemen, where five years of war have spawned the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

While the two sides agreed to the withdrawal of forces, they have been divided over who will run the port when they pull out.

"The agreement is an essential element of the peace process in Yemen and all parties should implement it," Arab Parliament members said.

They called on the Houthi rebels to release all detained prisoners and those under house arrest in areas under their control.

“We are following closely Yemen’s political, economic and social developments,” the Parliament said.

Peace in Yemen can only be achieved through a political process, the statement said, through national dialogue and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216.

The UN Security Council must take “responsibility in pressuring the Houthis to respect their commitment to the deal”.

Progress around the UN brokered agreement has been stagnant due to lack of trust between Yemen’s warring sides.

The Parliament also condemned the Houthi’s seizure of funds and assets belonging to Yemen’s Parliament Speaker, Sultan Al Burkani, and 34 other government officials.

"We call on the United Nations to take immediate and urgent action to these illegal acts against the people of Yemen," it said.