[03/03/2019 01:43]

ADEN-SABA
Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Ahmed al-Maysari said the government was "too close to liberating the city of Hodeiadah but it preferred to enter the Stockholm negotiations" on December 13.

Al-Maysari made the remarks in a meeting that brought him here today with fellow Deputy Premier Salem al-Khanbashi, Foreign Minister Khaled Alyemany and the visiting British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to make clear that the government is after peace – "a lasting peace."

Al-Khanbashi said that as part of its interest to correct the economic irregularities resulting from the Houthi war the government had approved the state budget of 2019. He pointed out that the rebel militia are collecting revenues by the way of extortion in their areas of control.

The British official emphasized his government's support to political solution noting the British £200m of aid pledged to Yemen in donor conference held in Geneva late last month.

---