Russian foreign ministry stresses necessity of further efforts on settlement of situation in Yemen

MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. Russia’s Foreign Ministry stresses the necessity of further efforts to reach a lasting political settlement in Yemen, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The ministry said that air strikes at Yemen’s cities of Aden and Saada had resumed after a five-day humanitarian break. "Armed clashes were reported from the Yemeni-Saudi border and from the provinces of Ma’rib, Aden, Abyan, ad Dali and Shabwah." "Regrettably, we have to state that the calls to extend ceasefire actively supported by Russia have not been heeded," the ministry said. "The humanitarian situation is degrading. United Nations representatives say the five days of the humanitarian break were not enough to deliver relief aid to the majority of Yemeni provinces. But such aid is needed by about half of the country’s population, with about a million of refuges and internally displaced persons." "Moscow is confident that real chances to stop bloodshed and reach a lasting conflict settlement in Yemen can be given only by the resumption of the political process in the format of a broad intra-Yemeni dialogue on the basis of corresponding resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the existing agreements between Yemen’s political forces," the ministry underscored. The necessity to follow this path was confirmed at a conference in ar Riaydh on May 17-19 that involved a number of Yemeni and regional parties, the Russian foreign ministry noted. "It is important not to stop efforts to reach a lasting political settlement in Yemen that would reckon with the interests of all of its citizens with no exceptions and would ensure independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of this friendly state," the ministry stressed. "Russia, along with other members of the international community, will continue efforts aiming to convene a United Nations-brokered international forum on the settlement in Yemen." Read more