The European Union rejected the Iran-backed Houthis’ rejection of a UN-backed proposal to reopen the road around the Yemeni city, the EU delegation in Yemen said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The European Union deeply regrets the rejection by the Houthis of the latest proposal of the United Nations Special Envoy (UNSE) on the reopening of the road, especially around Taiz,” it added, adding that it is an ongoing ceasefire agreement. of the “important human element”.
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The European Union urged the Houthis to reconsider and accept the UNSE proposal.
The Taiz blockade remains a cause for concern as it hinders the flow of essential goods and aid distribution inside Yemen’s third-largest city that has been under siege since 2015.
A provision in the agreement for militants to ease the siege of Yemen’s third-largest city Taiz has not yet been implemented, and the government has sought to open up roads to the city.
“The ceasefire has broken diplomatic deadlocks and brought unprecedented tangible benefits to Yemenis, and this momentum must not be lost,” the EU statement said.
The United Nations, meanwhile, is prompting Yemen’s warring parties to agree to a six-month ceasefire, two sources familiar with the talks told Reuters, which will be the longest in the seven-year-old conflict since both sides International pressure mounts. to end the war.
Peace efforts received a boost last week after US President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia, where he announced a deal with the Saudi leadership to “deepen and extend” the ceasefire that ends on August 2.
In a joint statement issued after his visit, US President Biden commended King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their roles.
However, Hans Grundberg, the UN special envoy for Yemen, will have to address strong grievances from the warring sides before he accepts a further renewal of the existing two-month truce deal, which first struck in April, Reuters reported on Monday.
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