Yemen’s internationally recognized government and separatist forces started indirect talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Wednesday to discuss ways to end their conflict in southern Yemen. The separatists, backed by the United Arab Emirates, seized control of the temporary capital Aden last month, threatening to unravel the Arab coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthis. “The situation is very difficult and complicated but we hope to achieve some progress,” a senior Yemeni official said. Attempts at solving the rift have previously failed, with President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government refusing to meet with the separatists unless they hand over the positions they have seized in southern Yemen. Read More
Profound questions about Yemen's future remain unanswered, and before negotiations can move forward the rival parties will likely need to address the elephant in the room: the future structure of Yemen as a state.
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by Denis MacEoin