[27/08/2019 01:31]

RIYADH-SABA

Yemen's Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hadhrami has affirmed that his government rejects the formation or financing of foreign controlled paramilitary units in Yemen under any pretext.

In a meeting with the British Minister of State for Middle East Affairs Andrew Mourisson, al-Hadhrami here on Tuesday, he also affirmed the government's resolve to counter extremism and terrorism in all its forms.

The talks focused on the rebellion by the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council, a paramilitary militia, that evicted the government from its power base in Aden on August 11 and sought to expand further afterwards.

Al-Hadhrami said the government is against using arms to seize power or achieve any gains. He appreciated the defection of militia leaders to the side of the government and renewed Yemen's welcoming of the Saudi call for dialogue.

He said the government supports the efforts of the UN peace mediator Martin Griffiths but it will go to no new round of peace consultations unless the Houthi militia in the north first withdraw from the ports and city of Hodeidah in line with the Stockholm Agreement of December 2018.

The British official affirmed his country's support to Yemen's internationally recognized government and to the political process that the United Nations leads.

---