Yemen’s STC welcomes Saudi invitation for dialogue conference on south

By Shukri Hussein and Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) welcomed a Saudi invitation to host a comprehensive conference in Riyadh on the future of the country’s south, while reaffirming its insistence on a “popular referendum” to separate southern Yemen from the north.

In a statement issued late Saturday, the council described the Saudi call as “an important step reflecting support for dialogue as a rational path to address political disputes,” particularly what it called “the right of the people of the south to restore their state.”

Saudi Arabia has said the southern issue is legitimate but can only be addressed “through an inclusive Yemeni dialogue within a comprehensive political settlement,” not through steps that would divide the country.

The STC said the Saudi invitation aligns with its longstanding approach that views dialogue as the sole means of resolving differences.

The council said the invitation is consistent with its efforts to secure serious regional and international sponsorship for a “fair and lasting solution.”

Any meaningful dialogue, it said, “must begin with recognition of the will of the people of the south, within a clear timeline and with full international guarantees.”

“A free popular referendum should be the decisive factor in any future political proposals,” it added.

Yemen has seen an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday, after the STC forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.

On Friday, the STC head, Aidrous Zubaidi, announced a two-year “transitional phase” that would include dialogue with parties in northern Yemen and a “referendum” on the future of the south.

The move came amid a rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. The UAE denied the accusation.

The STC says successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions politically and economically and calls for secession. Yemeni authorities reject the claim and reaffirm their commitment to the country’s unity.