Yemen Eco: sources
The Yemenis no longer view the issue of returning their salaries, which were cut off since September 2016, following the transfer of the Central Bank to Aden, as merely restoring stole rights. Rather, they now see this as a hope for the possibility of returning to their normal lives, which preceded the war in March 2015, and overcoming the suffering they experienced. During which, this emotion was exploited politically and in the media. It is enough for a media outlet to publish a headline that claims of obtaining information about the results of salary negotiations to attract thousands of readers and followers.
In light of what was announced, regarding Sana’a’s approval to send an official delegation for the first time to Riyadh to complete the discussions that began in Sana’a and Muscat regrading salaries, and ports, in order to reach a comprehensive political solution, what real information and indicators can be provided about this file.
To answer this question, we must return to the beginning of the turning point that occurred in the course of the war, and to some extent broke the political stalemate amid the dominance of military confrontations on the scene, which is related to the United Nations’ announcement, even if its role was secondary in reality , to agree on a truce, in April 2022,which was accompanied by some transformations in the economic and humanitarian files, by easing restrictions on Hodeida ports and operating limited flights through Sana’a airport.
It has become known that the truce came as a result of talks between Sana’a and Riyadh, while the United Nations took over announcing it and trying to show that the Yemeni government was aware of it, even though the latter used its media arms to express its dissatisfaction with the neglect with which it was met, such that it didn’t know about the news of truce except from media, like all other followers.
Sana’a: Salaries as second step?
In accordance to information obtained by “YemenEco website” that the government of Sana’a was the one who imposed that the truce for two months and not six months, as the Saudis proposed then, whereas Sana’a wanted the short truce as an opportunity in order to determine the time for responding to its demands related to disbursing the salaries of the state’s employees and completely lifting the on Sana’a Airport and all the remaining restrictions on the ports of Hodeida, here “YemenEco” sources say that the Americans intervened and advised the Saudis not to respond to the demands all at once and to divide the in parts in the hope that the circumstances might change at that time ,which is related to the international situation. (the Russian Ukraine war) which forced the Saudi-led coalition to request a truce to maintain the stability of the oil market, which will be achieved if Sana’a government’s attacks on Saudi oil sources stop, which according to those sources is what was achieved , as Saudi Arabia showed reluctance to implement the terms of the truce and take other steps straight ahead.
During that period the government of Sana’a was accusing the coalition and the American side with refractoriness and refusal of accepting what it considered legal rights, represented in the payment of the salaries and the opening of the ports ..etc. but since the Saudi ambassador’s visit to the capital Sana’a and his meeting with the leaderships , the statements that go out of Sana’a become to accuse the Americans to hinder the payment of the salaries, without accusing or exonerating the Saudis of this, what has changed?
What is related to this question, a political source in Sana’a answered this question in a conversation with “ YemenEco website” that the Saudis showed their willingness to resolve the salary file during the visit of the Saudi ambassador to Sana’a, so much so that the two official reports from both sides about the visit were identical in that there were still some matters that needed further discussions, and therefore, there was an implicit message that the results would be announced after the completion of those discussions at the end of the last Eid Alfater holiday, but coinciding with the message, the White House announced a phone call with an official with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, and also announced that the American envoy to Yemen, Tim Lender king, would visit Riyadh the day after that call, and with it the latter began using the term ”complex issue” in a conversation about disbursing the salaries of the Yemeni employees, he was the first who invented the issue of paying the salaries of the medical and teachers sectors and hence, to disburse the salaries in split.
The source added that the American announcement was an indication on the opposition of Washington for disbursing the salaries, in addition to what the officials and the negotiators of Sana’a government touched through the discussions that followed the Saudi visit. The source also indicated that Sana’a government sufficed in the accusation of the Americans in the issue of salaries and not accusing or exonerating the Saudis, refers to not the disclosing of the Saudi side about the American influence in this file, and what pressures practiced on Riyadh, consequently, it was enough to put the Saudis out of the accusation circle, and exoneration at the same time.
Saudi demand: a Visit Vs a Visit!
recently, Sana’a showed clear escalation and publically announced, whether on stated by the leader of Ansarallh Abdulmalik Alhothi , or the head of the Supreme Political Council Mahdi Almshat, to restore to military escalation and targeting the Saudi economic interests, such as the city Neom, if the response is not met for the disbursement of salaries and complete lifting of the restrictions of Hodeida sea ports , Sana’a Int’l Airport and the agreement on comprehensive end for war. And with the escalation of those threats amidst speaking about a limited timeout put by Sana’a government for the Saudis for responding to those demands, the Omani mediation team of the Sultanate of Oman along with head of the national negotiating team arrived to Sana’a on 17 last August and met with leader of Ansarallah and Almshat who in accordance with information obtained by “YemenEco” website at that time, sent a message to the Saudi side carried by the Omani delegation stated that the implementation of the threats is imminent and would be transferred to reality if the Sana’a has not touched the response to its demands.
“Yemen Eco” information added that the Omani delegation at that visit informed the leader of Ansarallh and Almshat that there was a Saudi demand related to image of Saudi Arabia represented in dispatching a delegation from Sana’a to Riyadh clarifying that the Saudi side sees that he initiated an official visit to Sana’a and bear what was said that the visit of the Saudi ambassador to Sana’a interpreted as a defeat to Saudi Arabia in Yemen, and that visit was received only with military threats against Riyadh, at that time, a reply was made to the Omani delegation that Sana’a did not refuse to visit Riyadh, but it needs advanced Guarantees that there would be practical results to have practical benefit for the visit, and that was what the Omanis transferred to Riyadh.
A Solution to the Crisis, or Will the American Preemptive Strike Succeeds?
In continuation to this path, Yemeni Saba ’a News Agency published ( the copy of Sana’a government) that the Head of the Supreme Political Council Mahdi Almshat received the Omani mediation delegation , who arrived to Sana’a with the head of the National Negotiating Team and Almsh.at announced responded to the Omani mediation, in according to that Sana’a delegation is heading along with the Omani mediation team to Riyadh, and that is what has achieved with the departure of both delegations on the same Omani plane from Sana’a Int’l Airport.
Before his departure to Riyadh, the head of Sana’a delegation Mohamed Abdulsalm decaled that” the round of the current negotiation comes within the framework of discussions that carried out by the national delegation with Saudi delegation in several meetings held in Muscat and repeated meetings in Sana’a” he said.
He added that “this round of negotiation comes within the same path which we move within it with the support of the Omani brothers that we are grateful to them and appreciating their support.” Indicating to “ among the files that we are working on is the humanitarian file represented in disbursing the salaries of all employees, opening of the airport and the sea ports, the release of all prisoners, detainees and departure of all foreign forces , reconstruction of Yemen so as to reach a comprehensive political solution, as he stated.
Sana’a delegation headed to Riyadh in accordance with the previous data, the most important of which was Sana’a condition that positive results should be announced after its delegation’s visit Riyadh , indicating that there is Saudi approval of its demands, most notably the disbursement of the salaries of state employees, and that it is possible this time for the long debate on this file to end with a solution and move on to other topics, however, there is a worrying indicator that the Americans presented during the past hours.
And if the Saudi invitation to Sana’a delegation for visiting Riyadh was leaked less than a week before it was announced, it is unlikely that the American side knew about it in advance, and therefore, it does not seem a coincidence that Bloomberg news agency published last night Wednesday, hours before the announcement of the visit of Sana’a delegation to Riyadh. A report accuses the Saudi –Emirati disputes of obstructing what the agencies described as American efforts to achieve peace in Yemen.
The report of the American agency that monitored by Yemen Eco website came under the title “Saudi-Emirati disputes threatens the American efforts to end the war in Yemen” saying that Saudi Arabia and Emiratis support armed groups “for controlling the country(Yemen) which is located at crossroads of vital shipments paths on one edge one the most important regions exporting energy”
The agency attributed four sources did not name them that the divisions between the two states “threatens the escalation to a new round of bloodshed between the proxy groups supported by the UAE from one side and Saudi Arabia from the other side, and the participation directly in the events on the ground”.
Also the American agency attributed what it described “senior western official” that Biden Administration” is concerned with the Saudi –Emeriti dispute and fears that might lead to strengthen Iran and failure a main goal in foreign policy, represented in the termination of continued war since 8 years that resulted in the killing of more than 400 thousand lives and the policy of the USA becomes responsible”
And if the accusation towards the USA are correct in obstructing the file of the disbursement of salaries and other demands to make pressure on Saudi Arabia in accordance to what have been mentioned to prevent it from responding to those demands, does it intend today to continue this pressure and to succeed in not announcing an agreement between Sana’a and Riyadh, and the drop the failure on what it has leaked at the night before the announcement of the visit of Sana’a delegation to Riyadh itself as a victim facing hindrances that it prevents of prevailing peace in Yemen.