The Yemeni government delegation at the Kuwait consultations confirmed that the position that it announced at the beginning of the consultations has not changed and that it seeks to achieve peace in Yemen through attaining justice, protecting legitimacy and ending the coup against the authority of the state in all its manifestations and effects and in accordance with the agreed points of reference. These points of reference include the UN Security Council resolution 2216 and related resolutions, the Gulf initiative and its systems of implementation, and the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue.

In a statement that Asharq Al-Awsat received a copy of, the delegation said that it could not talk about any political arrangements before the militias fully withdraw, hand over their weapons and legitimate government institutions and state agencies are returned. It also mentioned in the statement yesterday that any future political partnership must be between political forces and parties that are not affiliated to political militias. The delegation also believes that the rebels must withdraw from the cities that they control before any “political arrangements” to resolve the conflict are made.

In a statement that he made to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Yemeni Minister of Information Dr Mohammed Qubati said there was anticipation of a development that will take place in Kuwait during the next three days and that will coincide with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon’s visit, and he alluded to the existence of conflicting indicators about the fate of the consultations.

The Yemeni minister also mentioned the existence of assurances that the rebel militias (the Houthis and followers of Saleh) have approved a plan that includes the application of the basic items of Security Council resolution 2216 as a priority, a move towards abolishing all decisions that were made during the period of the coup and creating conditions for the government to return to the capital Sanaa after state institutions have been reinstated.

Dr Qubati added that in the event that the last two months of Yemen peace consultations sponsored by the United Nations in Kuwait and international, Gulf and Arab efforts to support peace in the country turn out to be simply an attempt by the rebel forces to waste time and exploit the atmosphere of the truce in order to expand, then the Yemeni government’s only option is to regain the Yemeni capital by force.