Sanaa--The United Nations announced Wednesday a date for its conference on Yemen, where Saudi-led warplanes have intensified raids against rebels in a conflict that has displaced half a million people.
But Yemen's government-in-exile swiftly demanded a pullback of the Iran-backed Shiite rebels from seized territory as a precondition to joining the talks set for May 28 in Geneva.
The developments came as Tehran headed off a potential confrontation with arch-foe Washington by saying an Iranian ship bound for Yemen in defiance of a blockade would now dock in Djibouti for UN inspection.
The Saudi-led coalition has waged an air campaign against the Huthi rebels since March 26 in an effort to restore the authority of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled to Riyadh.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said next week's conference was aimed at restoring "momentum towards a Yemeni-led political transition process".
Ban hoped the Geneva talks would "help Yemen re-launch the political process, reduce the levels of violence and alleviate the intolerable humanitarian situation," said a statement.
The conference had been due to be announced last week, but the UN demanded a halt to fighting as a precondition.
"We are not going unless there is something on the ground," Yemen's Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin told AFP after the UN announcement, saying Hadi's government had yet to receive an official invitation.
But even if it was invited, Yassin said the government would not attend without some implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216 as a sign of "goodwill".
The April resolution imposed an arms embargo on the rebels and demanded they relinquish territory they seized since descending from their stronghold in the mountains of northern Yemen last year.
"We will not attend if there is no implementation, at least part of it. If there is no withdrawal from Aden at least, or Taez," said Yassin.
After a five-day humanitarian ceasefire expired at the weekend, the Arab coalition resumed bombing several cities including Sanaa, accusing the rebels of having violated the truce.
AFP
