Yemen Peace Talks Delayed as Saudi Backed Assault Continues

US sends mixed signals on plans for Yemen

The US demand for an immediate ceasefire in Yemen never happened, with US-backed factions continuing to attack the port city of Hodeidah. US promises of Yemen peace talks in November are also now being postponed.

Officials are presenting the talks, despite initially being presented as happening some time this month, as being set for early December. Now, they say if the talks happen at all, it will be in late December.

Some diplomats are suggesting the postponement is because of concerns that the Houthis won’t show up. The Houthis did not attend the previous talks, because they could not get assurances from the Saudis that their delegation would be allowed to safely travel, and the US seems no more willing to offer such assurances.

Indeed, the Trump Administration seems to be sending mixed signals on its position anyhow, with talk they are going to back away from the peace process, and instead just declare the Houthi movement to be “terrorists.”

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.