STC Acting President Receives EIP Delegation

Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, Acting President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and Chairman of the National Assembly, received today, Wednesday, in the headquarters of the Assembly, a delegation from the European Institute of Peace (EIP), headed by Mr. Jimmy Bleibel, Director of the Institute's Middle East Program, and Mr. Thanos Petouris, the Institute's Regional Advisor.

In the beginning of the meeting, which was attended by Mr. Lutfi Shatara, Head of the Research and Decision Support Center (RDSC) of the Presidium of the STC, and Mr. Al-Kathiri welcomed the EIP delegation currently visiting the capital, Aden, and extending its visit to other governorates of the South, lauding the delegation's substantial efforts both domestically and internationally to assist in converging viewpoints and foster political dialogue among various components of the South.

Al-Kathiri reaffirmed that the STC, led by President Al-Zubaidi, appreciates the positive role of the EIP and its initiatives, highlighting the importance of coordination and joint cooperation with the South National Dialogue Team (SNDT).

For his part, the head of the delegation expressed his pleasure at visiting the capital, Aden, affirming that the international community is fully aware of the justice of the cause of the South. He added that the EIP has a strong relationship with the STC and is keen to maintain it, noting that the institute is in close contact with the European Union and the office of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen to go to the ground and provide all opportunities for dialogues and constructive discussions with all parties without interfering in their affairs or imposing any restrictions on them.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Fahim Saif, Head of the Office of the Director of the Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Authority (FAEA) of the STC, and Mr. Aseel Mohammed Ahmed, Deputy Head of the Department of International Organizations and Human Rights Affairs of the FAEA.