South Yemen Separatists Agree to Participate in National Dialogue in Riyadh

DOHA (Sputnik) - The Southern Transitional Council, a secessionist organization in South Yemen, has agreed to participate in inter-Yemeni negotiations in Riyadh under the auspices of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) without preconditions, according to an official statement obtained by Sputnik.

"The Southern Transitional Council is open to comprehensive consultations with the participation of all Yemeni parties to solve key problems and, first of all, the problem of the south, without preconditions, and welcomes the invitation of the GCC Secretary General to hold political consultations in Riyadh," the council's spokesman said in the statement.

At the same time, he noted that the Transitional Council supported the reform of the government system in Yemen.

GCC Secretary General Nayef Al-Hajraf has officially invited all parties to the conflict in Yemen to talks in the Saudi capital from March 29 to April 7, noting that invitations will be sent to all forces, including the Houthi movement ruling in northern Yemen. However, the Houthis said they were ready to take part in peace negotiations, but not in Saudi Arabia.

Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces and the Houthi rebels for several years. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led Arab coalition has been providing military support to Yemen by conducting air, land and sea operations against the rebels, who control the capital of Sanaa and large areas in northern and western Yemen.