UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – Yemen has been in turmoil since Shiite Houthi rebels forced Hadi to resign, dissolving the parliament and creating a presidential council under a "constitutional declaration" in early 2015.
At Hadi’s request, a coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia started airstrikes against the Houthis and other anti-government forces. Despite the fact that the coalition announced the end of the military campaign in late April, the airstrikes continue.
"The Secretary-General expressed his concern about the escalation of fighting on the ground and airstrikes since the end of the humanitarian pause, and reiterated his firm belief that there is no military solution to the conflict," the United Nations said in a statement published on its website on Wednesday, after Ban Ki-moon’s telephone talks with Hadi.
The UN Secretary General thanked Hadi for his "commitment to UN-brokered negotiations" in the Wednesday statement. A round of UN-facilitated talks on Yemen was planned for May 28, but the United Nations postponed the negotiations.
"The Secretary-General hoped that the consultations could resume as soon as possible," the UN statement said.
In April, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif proposed a four-point peace plan aimed at ending the violence in Yemen, which has claimed the lives of over 1,200 people. The plan includes a ceasefire, humanitarian assistance to all those affected by the violence, intra-Yemen dialogue and the creation of a government with the participation of all Yemeni factions.