Yemen's prime minister and GCC officials met in Riyadh on Monday to discuss a new UN-led peace initiative beginning in Geneva next month.
Ahmed bin Daghr reaffirmed the Yemeni government's intention to support the talks starting on September 6 and said the intervention of the Saudi-led Arab Coalition had helped his country stand up to Iran's interference through the Houthi rebels.
"A political solution must be based on unity - the coup imposed on Yemen by the Iranian-backed Houthis posed a threat to Yemen and its allies," Mr Bin Daghr said.
The meeting also discussed the GCC-backed political transition that was disrupted when the Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 and overthrew the internationally recognised government led by President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their allies in the Arab Coalition intervened in the conflict at the request of Mr Hadi's government in March 2015.
GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif Al Zayani said the implementation of UN Resolution 2216 was vital to achieving a political solution that would meet the aspirations of Yemenis.
“The Houthis committed the worst kind of atrocities against the people of Yemen,” Mr Al Zayani said in his opening statement.
Resolution 2216, passed by the UN Security Council in 2015, expressed support for Mr Hadi's government and the political transition, which involves drafting a new constitution, electoral reform, a referendum on the draft constitution and holding general elections. It also called for a halt to the fighting in the country, and for the rebels to give up territory and weapons they had seized and to "refrain from any provocation or threats to neighbouring states".
Martin Griffiths, the UN special envoy for Yemen, has said that talks next month will focus on a transitional government and disarmament.
"Primarily, we are trying to reach an agreement between the Yemeni government and [the Houthis] on the issues essential to ending the war and on a national unity government in which everyone participates," Mr Griffiths told Asharq Al Awsat newspaper.
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Results
2-15pm: Commercial Bank Of Dubai – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Al Habash, Patrick Cosgrave (jockey), Bhupat Seemar (trainer)
2.45pm: Al Shafar Investment – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Day Approach, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
3.15pm: Dubai Real estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Celtic Prince, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Sprint by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Khuzaam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Shadwell – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Tenbury Wells, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Jebel Ali Stakes by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
5.15pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Rougher, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
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Transmission: eight-speed auto
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
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Price: Exact regional pricing TBA