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A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 3 November 2018

UN chief urges Yemen combatants to seize momentum for peace

By EDITH M. LEDERER peace efforts and address
Associated Press the humanitarian crisis.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Nebenzia said there has
U.N. Secretary-General been talk in the coun-
Antonio Guterres urged Ye- cil about supporting the
men’s warring parties on peace process. As to
Friday to seize the momen- whether this is the right
tum for peace and avert time, he said: “Possibly.
what could be the world’s Let’s see. We know that
worst famine in decades. pressure is being mounted
The U.N. chief’s appeal from all sides on the parties
came days after the Trump to stop hostilities.”
administration demand- The conflict in the Arab
ed a cease-fire and the world’s poorest country be-
launch of U.N.-led political gan with the 2014 takeover
talks to end the war be- of Sanaa by the Houthis,
tween a Saudi-led coalition which toppled the interna-
allied with Yemen’s gov- tionally recognized govern-
ernment and Houthi Shiite ment. A Saudi-led coali-
rebels backed by Iran. U.S. tion allied with the govern-
Defense Secretary Jim Mat- ment has been fighting the
tis called for a halt to hostili- Houthis since 2015.
ties within 30 days. Civilians have borne the
Guterres urged the coali- In this Oct. 1, 2018, photo, a severely malnourished boy rests on a hospital bed at the Aslam brunt of the conflict, which
tion and the Houthis “to Health Center, Hajjah, Yemen. has killed over 10,000 peo-
overcome obstacles and Associated Press ple and sparked a cholera
resolve differences” at rebel-held capital Sanaa countries engaged in help- wherever — in and around epidemic and the world’s
U.N.-facilitated talks later allegedly being used by ing to create conditions for Hodeida, elsewhere, be- worst humanitarian crisis.
this month. the Houthis to launch drone the warring parties to un- cause we believe in a po- U.N. humanitarian chief
“Violence must stop every- and ballistic missile attacks derstand not only the need litical solution.” “That’s the Mark Lowcock warned last
where,” preferably immedi- into Saudi Arabia. Intense for a cessation of hostilities only thing that can bring week that “there is a clear
ately, he said. fighting was also reported but for serious political dis- peace back to Yemen,” and present danger of an
But the secretary-general in Hodeida province. cussions. The diplomatic he stressed. Nebenzia said imminent and great big
stressed that the U.N.’s im- “It is very important that no initiative is being driven by U.N. special envoy for Ye- famine engulfing Yemen”
mediate priority is to stop missiles or other forms of the increasing threat of men, Martin Griffiths, is that could affect 14 million
the bombing in populated aggression are sent against famine, but also by inter- “working on a peace plan people — half of the coun-
areas and preserve critical Saudi Arabia, and it’s very national outrage over the that might bring the parties try’s population.
infrastructure including in important to stop bombing murder of U.S.-based Saudi together and finally finish “Yemen today stands on a
the key port of Hodeida, in urban areas, and it’s very journalist Jamal Khashoggi this useless conflict” and precipice,” Guterres said
the main entry point for in- important to preserve ba- which has put a spotlight Russia wants to hear from Friday, and “the urgency
ternational aid and 70 per- sic infrastructure,” the U.N. on Saudi Arabia’s role in him “on new avenues that of the humanitarian crisis
cent of food imports that chief said. “That is why we the war in Yemen. he’s exploring.” leaves no room for com-
Yemen relies on. are appealing for the kind Russia’s U.N. Ambassador The Security Council is placency.”
Guterres spoke following of military action that is tak- Vassily Nebenzia told sev- expected to hear from He urged all countries to
the coalition’s announce- ing place from both sides eral reporters Friday that Griffiths on Nov. 16 and prevent “the already dire
ment earlier Friday that it to end.” Moscow has “been advo- diplomats say the U.S., Brit- conditions from deteriorat-
bombed an air base ad- He said the United Nations cating for the early, imme- ain and France are draft- ing into the worst famine we
jacent to the airport in the is seeing more and more diate cessation of hostilities ing a resolution to support have seen in decades.”q

UK Brexit chief seeks elusive N Ireland border solution

By JILL LAWLESS Northern Ireland and EU ings in Northern Ireland.
Associated Press member Ireland. The EU has proposed keep-
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Britain and the EU agree ing Northern Ireland inside
Brexit chief met politicians that after Brexit there must a customs union with the
from both sides of Northern be no customs posts or bloc. But the Democratic
Ireland’s political divide barriers that could disrupt Unionist Party, which props
Friday, but there was little businesses and residents up the Conservative Brit-
sign of a breakthrough on on either side of the border ish government, won’t
the Irish border impasse and undermine Northern accept that approach
that is frustrating divorce Ireland’s hard-won peace because it means there
talks between the U.K. and process. But they don’t would be customs and
the European Union. agree on how to guaran- regulatory checks be-
Brexit Secretary Dominic tee that. tween Northern Ireland
Raab met with leaders of Britain “will not accept and the rest of the U.K.
the pro-British Democrat- any Brexit proposals that Raab said Britain wanted
In this Monday, Oct. 1, 2018 file photo, Britain’s Brexit Secretary ic Unionist Party and Irish threaten the economic “frictionless trade with the
Dominic Raab addresses delegates during a speech at the
Conservative Party Conference at the ICC, in Birmingham, nationalists Sinn Fein, and or constitutional integrity EU” and also “to preserve
central England. visited the all-but-invisible of the United Kingdom,” the internal market within
Associated Press border between the U.K.’s Raab said after his meet- the United Kingdom.” q