WASHINGTON: UN Secretary-General António Guterres, hailed the Sultanate of Oman’s role in supporting international efforts aimed to settle and resolve differences in the Republic of Yemen and to arrive at a convergence of views among the countries of the region.
He stressed that the establishment of good relations between the countries of the region is one of the basics for achieving stability and development, adding that Muscat was and still is the gateway to peace.
At the annual iftar party hosted by Dr. Mohammed bin Awad al Hassan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations at the headquarters of the Sultanate of Oman’s mission to the UN and attended by the ambassadors of the GCC countries to the UN, the UN secretary-general affirmed the positive changes in the Gulf region and the Arabian Peninsula during this period noting that the international community praise the efforts of the Sultanate of Oman aimed at achieving peace and co-existence.
The UN secretary-general expressed his regret for the humanitarian suffering experienced by the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting humanitarian and relief efforts to provide assistance for the Palestinian refugees by continuing to fund the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Meanwhile, the top negotiator of Yemen's Houthi movement said peace talks with Saudi Arabia had made progress and further discussions would be held to iron out remaining differences. In a significant confidence-building measure, the conclusion of talks in the Yemeni capital Sanaa was followed by an announcement on Friday from the International Committee of the Red Cross that the warring parties had begun an exchange of nearly 900 detainees.
Saudi Arabia is seeking a permanent ceasefire deal to end its military involvement in a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and left millions hungry. Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Friday the negotiations with envoys from Saudi Arabia and Oman, which is facilitating the talks, had been "serious and positive".
"There was an advancement on some issues with the hope of continuing studying outstanding issues at another time," he said in a Twitter post, without elaborating.
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