Lamlas discusses with Griffiths' advisor steps to implement Riyadh Agreement

The Secretary General of the Presidency of the Southern Transitional Council, Ahmed Hamed Lamlas, received on Tuesday, at the General Secretariat in Aden the capital, Mr. Marwan Ezzat Al-Ali, the Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations Envoy to Yemen, Mr. Martin Griffiths.

The meeting discussed the lastest steps related to the implementation of the Riyadh agreement, especially the practical measures for the exchange of detainees, as well as the withdrawal of military forces from Abyan and Shabwa and the redeployment and arrangement of military and security units in accordance with what was contained in the Riyadh agreement.

The Secretary-General notified that there is a lack of credibility with one part in the other party in implementing the Riyadh agreement, especially that partisan system that tries to obstruct the implementation of the agreement, pointing to the Transitional Council's sense of the clear seriousness among the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in implementing the agreement.

The Secretary-General indicated that there are measures that expected to be decided within the next few days, including the appointment of a governor and a security director for the capital, Aden, and these steps will be followed with other steps related to the southern governorates in addition to forming a new government equally between the north and south.

Lamlas also reviewed the results of the visit of the ambassadors of the European Union to the Transitional Council and the issues discussed with them, pointing out that the mission expressed its willingness to open channels of communication and permanent coordination with the Transitional Council.

For his part, the adviser to Mr. Martin Griffiths, Marwan Al-Ali, stated that the United Nations, through its international envoy to Yemen, looks at the Riyadh agreement as extremely important to accelerate the entry into the peace process and a comprehensive solution.

Al-Ali expressed his satisfaction with the role played by the Transitional Council in its handling of political files and in dealing with responsibility and objectivity, pointing out that the Transitional council was able to deal with changes and developments in a professional and dynamic manner that makes it main part in the equation of peace process and the comprehensive settlement in Yemen.