Saudi Arabia has no interest in political solution to Yemeni crisis: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Hussain al-Bukhaiti, activist and political commentator in Sana'a, to ask for his take on a UN-brokered peace plan supported conditionally by Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement.

What follows is a rough transcription of the interview. 

Press TV: Yemen’s Ansarullah and their allies from the party of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh have accepted a UN plan to end the ongoing conflict in the country. It is not the first time that they have tried to end this through diplomatic means. Where are the Saudis in these peace talks?

Bukhaiti: Actually a month ago or three weeks ago, Ansarullah, the Houthis, the GPC (General People's Congress), which is the party of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, and other parties from Yemen accepted Muscat 7-point plan which they have now; it is the same thing but the only difference is that the Ansrullah and the GPC have sent the letter to the UN envoy and to the UN [headquarters] in New York as well, saying that they have accepted the Muscat 7-point plan which the most important part of it is about the implementation of 2216 objection of the sanctions against Yemenis, a total ceasefire in Yemen, a withdraw from all cities and this withdraw will include all groups, parties or militias the same like Islahi militias and Ansarullah fighters and any other groups and as well to hand [over] all heavy weapons. But this will happen according to a plan and a mechanism to fill the security gap that will happen as a result of this withdraw.

Most of the points in Muscat's 7-point plan were agreed at the the National Dialogue [Conference] (NDC) and as well at the Peace and [National] Partnership Agreement, but still, three weeks after the Ansarullah accepting the peace plan, the Saudis and the former president Hadi have refused this point. The only difference is that Ansarullah has sent their acceptance in a letter to the UN and to the Security Council in New York. I am not sure if the Saudis and their allies will accept this point and this will show if they really want peace, we will know in these coming days.

Press TV: What is it going to take to bring the Saudis to the table? What is it going to take to get Saudi Arabia to go for peace and end these airstrikes on Yemen?

 Bukhaiti: Actually we are not really sure what the Saudis really want from Yemen because all we see [is that] they just want a total destruction of Yemen and Yemen’s infrastructure and they want a total submission from Yemenis towards the Saudis because they want to keep their influence in Yemen and they want to keep interfering in Yemeni business. So this acceptance and agreement from the side of Ansarullah and the GPC will show the real person who wanted peace.

For me, I doubt really that the Saudi will accept this because they just want to keep destroying Yemen and they do not accept anything called “Ansarullah” to stay in Yemen or to have any kind of support or power in Yemen. 

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