Omani Delegation Returns to Sana’a: A Final Chance for Peace in Yemen?

The Omani mediation delegation returned to the capital Sana’a on Thursday, in a new visit that comes a few days after the strongly-worded warnings issued by the leader of the revolution, Sayyed Abdulmalik Badreddine al-Houthi, to the countries of aggression. The warnings were regarding the necessity to end the state of procrastination and equivocation, either by responding to the entitlements of the Yemeni people or by force. Sana’a affirms that this has led to stirring the stagnant waters due to the obstinacy of the enemy and his refusal to address the humanitarian file and pay salaries. The mediators’ visit carried the title of “Reviving the Negotiation Process”, provided that this will only happen with practical steps that alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, because there is no more room for attempts to buy more time.

According to Mohammed Abdulsalam, head of the national negotiating delegation who arrived in Sana’a with the Omani mediation delegation, the new visit comes “in the context of the efforts of Omani mediation; to revive the negotiation process and evaluate the stage” according to the entitlements of the humanitarian file regarding opening airports, ports and paying salaries.

Abdulsalam added that “the Omani delegation will hold consultations with the leadership during the visit; to revive the negotiation process with a clear vision that addresses the most pressing humanitarian files, touching every Yemeni citizen”. He pointed out that “the mission to revive the negotiations will this time require clear practical steps”, stressing that “if the negotiation process does not start with implementing the humanitarian clauses, building on the other party’s positive intentions cannot happen”.

“The improvement of airports and ports must start, and many restrictions must be removed; because the blockade is still in place at all levels,” Abdulsalam said.

This emphasis indicates that Sana’a has completely closed the door of procrastination in front of the enemy; which had been confirmed by Sayyed Abdulmalik Badreddine al-Houthi in his recent speech where he stated that “sufficient opportunity has been given to mediators” and that current situation cannot be accepted or countries of aggression allowed to move on to an alternative plan that enables them to continue targeting and starving Yemeni people without accountability. This was also confirmed by Abdulmalik Al-Ajri, a member of national delegation, who explained that “the visit of Omani mediator and national delegation to Sana’a comes in context of engaging with speech of leader of revolution; as it is unacceptable and unreasonable for negotiation over salaries and humanitarian file to turn into more complicated version of Palestinian negotiations, and exhausting marathon of negotiations over issues such as salaries that should not have been subject to bargaining and negotiation, had it not been for intransigence of aggression.”

According to clarifications from national delegation and warnings from leader of revolution, visit of Omani mediation delegation comes with the aim of exploiting what appears to be the final chance afforded by national leadership; in order to complete argument against countries of aggression and their sponsors and put their intentions to a final test that determines whether if there is a possibility to reach meaningful understandings on the negotiating table, or whether force, as it is the only option left, will be used to restore the rights of the Yemeni people.