US envoy sees hope for political solution to Yemen crisis
Updated: 2015-03-24 10:29
(Agencies)
|
|||||||||
WASHINGTON - The top US diplomat in Yemen on Monday said Washington and its allies need to make decisions quickly to preserve the possibility of a political solution to the crisis in Yemen.
Ambassador Matthew Tueller said he was optimistic that rival Yemeni factions could reach a political power-sharing agreement if a broad group of representatives could meet outside the country and without the influence of outside parties such as Iran.
"We recognize that we've got to make some decisions quickly," Tueller said after a meeting of the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce, citing rapid advances by the Iranian-allied Houthi militia toward the southern port of Aden, where Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fled.
"Political dialogue won't work if Hadi is overrun and captured, and Aden falls, which could happen very quickly," Tueller said, citing the large number of Houthi forces throughout the country.
Tueller gave no details on possible US actions.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on Monday said Arab countries would take necessary measures to protect the region against "aggression" by the Houthi group if a peaceful solution could not be found.
Al-Faisal spoke after Riyadh Yaseen, named by Hadi as his interim foreign minister, called for Gulf Arab military intervention in Yemen, and notably the imposition of a no-fly zone, to stop territorial advances by Houthi fighters.
Tueller said he remained "relatively optimistic" that the rival factions would be able to reach a power-sharing agreement, if given the chance.
"All sides recognize that there really isn't any alternative but to reach an agreement on power-sharing," he said.
Even the Iranian-allied Houthi militia did not want to be held responsible for plunging Yemen into the same situation as Syria and Libya, he said. "Once they destroy the state institutions, it's very, very hard to put it back together."
Tueller said Saudi Arabia had offered to host peace talks among the warring Yemeni factions on April 7, but that date was still three weeks away and the situation was eroding quickly.
The United States on Saturday evacuated its remaining personnel from Yemen, including about 100 special operations forces, because of deteriorating security.
- 88 killed in four bombings in Yemen
- Death toll rises to at least 24 in Yemen's mosque suicide bomb attacks
- French woman kidnapped in Yemen's capital
- Turkey closes Yemen embassy after telling citizens to leave
- UN urges Yemen's Houthis to engage in negotiations
- Italy, Germany temporarily close their Yemen embassies
- Dramatic changes for Chinese miners in the last 30 years
- Top 10 young Chinese entrepreneurs defining the future
- Singapore Embassy in Beijing mourns Lee Kuan Yew
- China joins legendary flower show
- Monks perform tea-picking ritual in Hangzhou
- Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew
- 5 things you may not know about the Spring Equinox
- Solar eclipse wows viewers
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Annual legislative and political advisory sessions |
Spring Festival trends reflect a changing China |
Patent applications lead the world |
BC lures Chinese tourists |
Festival Special: Apps that make holiday shopping easier |
Alibaba places China smartphone business bet with $590m Meizu deal |
Today's Top News
Students humbled by trip to China
Antitrust policy 'treats
all fairly'
Lee remembered as 'old friend' of Chinese people
Huawei plans big push to sell smart devices in US
Texas Republican Cruz announces presidential bid
Fictional TV presidents more popular than Obama - poll
Beijing artist gives back to opera
Kites of Asia soar at Smithsonian
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |