Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 23 November 2017
Syria’s divided opposition to get a new face Saudi-led military

pledges to ease

By SARAH EL DEEB resolution that would pre- military victories backed representatives. Hours be- Yemen blockade
PHILIP ISSA serve the rule of President by his allies Russia and Iran fore the meeting, a dozen
Associated Press Bashar Assad. that have turned the tide opposition figures, includ-
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s noto- The opposition remains rife of the conflict. Days ahead ing the head of the Riyadh- By AHMED AL-HAJ
riously fragmented opposi- with disagreements and is of a new round of peace formed High Negotiations KARIN LAUB
tion gathering Wednesday weakened by its allies’ dis- talks in Geneva, and a new Committee Riad Hijab, re- Associated Press
in the Saudi capital is trying traction with other conflicts. separate effort by Russia to signed, apparently in pro- SANAA, Yemen (AP) — The
to close ranks and come President Bashar Assad, in bring the opposition and test of others being too will- Saudi-led military coalition
up with a unified vision as contrast, is the most secure the government together, ing to accept the contin- fighting Shiite rebels in Ye-
international efforts ap- in his post since the war be- the opposition is meeting ued rule of a man they view men said Wednesday that
peared headed toward a gan, boosted by significant in Riyadh to choose new as a discredited tyrant.q it will reopen the war-torn
country’s main airport and
In surprise reversal: a vital Red Sea port to hu-
manitarian traffic, easing
a blockade imposed after
Lebanese PM Hariri puts resignation on hold rebels fired a missile toward
the Saudi capital earlier
this month.
By SARAH EL DEEB The easing is to begin on
PHILIP ISSA Thursday.
Associated Press The airport in the capital
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s of Sanaa would reopen to
Prime Minister Saad Hariri U.N. aircraft and the sea
walked back his resignation port of Hodeida would be
on Wednesday after weeks able to receive urgent hu-
of intensive international manitarian aid, the coali-
diplomacy aimed at restor- tion statement said.
ing the delicate political The port of Salef is also ex-
balance that has kept the pected to reopen, deputy
country from being pulled U.N. spokesman Farhan
apart by regional tensions Haq said in New York, cit-
between Saudi Arabia and ing information U.N. hu-
Iran. manitarian and political
Hariri’s decision to stay on, officials received from their
provisionally at least, is an Saudi counterparts.
embarrassment to Riyadh, It was not immediately
which is widely seen as clear, however, if port op-
having orchestrated the erations will return to pre-
resignation. But the king- blockade levels.
dom’s increasingly activ- U.N. officials cautiously
ist leadership — led by the welcomed the decision.
32-year-old crown prince “It is good news, but we
who is spearheading the son. Wednesday was the by Iran and its Lebanese years. The crown prince, are still waiting to see the
kingdom’s foreign policy — Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, left, arrives to attend a military parade to mark the 74th an- specific details,” said Ja-
can take solace in having niversary of Lebanon’s independence from France in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, mie McGoldrick, the U.N.
revived the conversation Nov. 22, 2017. humanitarian chief for Ye-
about the formidable influ- (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) men.
ence wielded in Lebanon Haq said the U.N. is moni-
by the Iranian-backed mili- first opportunity for face- proxy, Hezbollah. Hezbol- who is also defense min- toring developments and
tant group Hezbollah. to-face talks. Hariri later lah is a partner in the co- ister, has a reputation for has “made clear the tre-
The reversal capped a said he presented his res- alition government Hariri being impulsive. He has led mendous amount of needs
dramatic two-and-a-half ignation, but was asked by formed a year ago. The Saudi Arabia into a nearly on the ground.”
weeks that saw Hariri re- Aoun to retract it and al- resignation sparked a politi- three-year-long war in Ye- In an interview just before
sign suddenly from Riyadh low time for consultations. cal and diplomatic crisis as men to try and push back the coalition’s announce-
on Nov. 4, then traveled to He acquiesced and said Lebanese officials accused Iranian-allied rebels there. ment, McGoldrick told
Paris, Egypt, and Cyprus, he was looking forward the kingdom of pressuring A global outcry by aid The Associated Press that
before finally returning to a “real partnership with the Saudi-aligned politician groups over the tightening a continued blockade
home on the eve of Leba- all political forces to put to step down. The Leba- of a Saudi blockade in Ye- would make Yemen’s long-
non’s 74th Independence Lebanon’s higher interests nese, affronted by the de- men prompted the Saudis suffering population more
Day celebrations. before any others.” The re- velopments, rallied around to say they would lift restric- vulnerable to cholera and
President Michel Aoun re- versal highlights the latest Hariri, unanimously calling tions on urgently-needed famine.
ceived him with a warm Saudi foreign policy over- for his return in what be- humanitarian supplies. But Millions in Yemen are at
embrace at the military reach under Crown Prince came an embarrassment Hariri’s retraction is not a immediate risk if food aid
parade on Wednesday Mohammed bin Salman, for the kingdom. The Saudi total loss for the Gulf king- and the supply of fuel for
morning, and the two men seen as being behind most crown prince, who has the dom, which can point to pumping clean water are
sat relaxed and appearing of the kingdom’s major de- blessing of his father, King the newly invigorated de- interrupted, he said.
to enjoy each other’s com- cisions. When he resigned, Salman, has taken a much bate, mainly in Lebanon, About 7 million people in
pany at the viewing stand. in an uncomfortable, tele- harder line against the over the extent of Hezbol- Yemen — out of a popula-
Aoun had earlier said he vised statement from Ri- Sunni kingdom’s main rival lah’s regional influence, tion of 27 million — depend
would not accept Hariri’s yadh, Hariri said he was — Shiite power Iran, which and its formidable military entirely on food aid, and 4
resignation until the prime protesting what he called has spread its influence in capabilities that rival those million rely on aid groups
minister presented it in per- meddling in Arab affairs the Arab region in recent of the Lebanese Army.q for clean water.q