Kuwait talks, cover for new Saudi operations in Yemen: Activist

Press TV has interviewed Hussein al-Bukhaiti, an activist and political commentator in Sana’a, to discuss the UN-sponsored peace talks on Yemen in Kuwait.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: It seems that any concessions in order to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict are not anywhere in sight when it comes to the ongoing negotiations. Give us your thoughts on what is taking place.  

Bukhaiti: We have seen from the Saudi side and their delegates [that] they have not given any concession from the beginning of these talks. We know that Yemeni delegates or Sana’a delegates have accepted 2216 UN Security Council resolution … and they went to Saudi Arabia and they had direct talks with the Saudis. They have gone to Kuwait and Kuwait is considered … a part of this aggression against Yemen but still they have done all that to show that they are willing for peace and they do not want the war to continue, they do not want this suffering to continue on the Yemeni people. But on the other hand we have seen that the Saudis actually do not want any end to these talks. They are using these talks for new operations.

We know that the Saudis for example in Ma’rib, in al-Jawf and in north Shabwa, they are gathering more and more troops and as well we heard in the last few days there are American troops that had landed in al-Anad air base between Ta’izz and Aden and as well just two days ago 200 US marines with their combat gears, including Humvees and armed vehicles, have arrived into al-Mukalla, and several warships belonging to the United States have arrived as well in the Gulf of Aden.

This shows you that these talks are a cover for all these new operations that they are going to start in Yemen and I am sure that al-Qaeda will be one of the choices of the Saudis and the United States to attack areas that are under the control of Ansarullah, the Houthis.

And just today there were several airstrikes on al-Anad or as they call it the giant base, army base in Amran north Sana’a. Thirteen people were killed including five rescuers because it was a double-tap strike in that area. They waited till ambulance and rescuers … reached that area and they … targeted again just similar to what they do anywhere else and yesterday they … killed seven civilians and injured … 11 in Nehm, east Sana’a. So this shows you that constant attack and constant violation by Saudi Arabia [are] backed by the United States and we have seen that the UN has not said anything or has not even called the Saudis directly to stop their airstrikes.  

Press TV: That is exactly what I wanted to point out next, is that as the negotiations have been taking place and in the midst of all the international condemnation there has been no real push to get the Saudis to stop these indiscriminate attacks which we see the civilians of Yemen are suffering the most as a result of the attacks carried out by the Saudis?  

Bukhaiti: Yes of course, this is what is happening. I mean if the UN cannot force the Saudis to do the minimum which is to stop their air campaign on Yemen, to obey the ceasefire, if they cannot do that how can they be or work as a mediator in these talks in Kuwait?

And I think the biggest mistake actually that Ansarullah, the Houthis, and the GPC (the General People's Congress) have done is to accept to go to Kuwait which is part of this aggression. I mean Kuwait has joined this aggression to fight Ansarullah, the Houthis and to destroy the Yemeni army. So I do not think that Kuwait will try to succeed these talks because they want the Saudi military operation in Yemen to succeed.

So this is one of the mistakes that they have done but as I mentioned it is kind of to show the world that they do not want any peace because still Yemen is under blockade, air and land blockade as well and Yemeni travelers who are forced to go through Saudi airport, they are humiliated there as well in Jordan. Always when they arrive in Jordan they are put aside in a different area than any other travelers and they are searched several times again and again and they are left there without water, without any food supplies for hours and this shows you that the meaning of all this war is the humiliation of the Yemenis and the Yemeni army and everybody who is against the Saudi aggression in Yemen, everybody who is against the American support and part in this war.  

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