WASHINGTON – US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have called on all participants in the Yemen civil war to agree to a ceasefire in the next 30 days.
Addressing an event at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, Mattis lavished praise on United Nations special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths.
‘Thirty days from now we want to see everybody around a peace table based on a ceasefire, based on a pullback from the border and then based on ceasing dropping of bombs that will permit the (UN) special envoy, Martin Griffiths — he’s very good, he knows what he’s doing — to get them together in Sweden and end this war,’ Mattis added.
The calls were later repeated by Pompeo who said Washington calls on all parties to support UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Yemen.
‘Substantive consultations under the UN Special Envoy must commence this November in a third country,’ Pompeo added.
The US duo insisted that the US-backed Saudi-led coalition and the Iranian-aligned Houthis stop their respective aerial and missile attacks.
‘The time is now for the cessation of hostilities, including missile and UAV strikes from Houthi-controlled areas into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Subsequently, Coalition air strikes must cease in all populated areas in Yemen,’ Pompeo said in his statement.
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The Top US official, who earlier headed CIA, expressed that a peace effort was needed, saying we need to be doing this in the next 30 days.
I believe that the Saudis and the Emirates are ready, and in fact had the Houthis not walked out of the last effort that Martin Griffiths had going, we’d probably be on our way there right now,’ Mattis said.
This is the first time that the Trump administration has vehemently called on the parties concerned to carve out a solution within thirty days.
Following the statement, David Miliband, the president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, branded Pompeo’s statement ‘the most significant breakthrough in the war in Yemen for four years.’
“It is vital that this call for a ceasefire is followed through, and the call for support for the political process heeded,” Miliband added.
