Aden (South24) 

The Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Rashad Al-Alimi, and PLC member Aidrous Al-Zubaidi [also President of the Southern Transitional Council], met on Monday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York.

Yemeni news agency Saba said that Al-Alimi and Al-Zubaidi held a meeting with Blinken “on the sidelines of the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly, which begins tomorrow.”

Al-Zubaidi called on the United States to provide support in the field of counter-terrorism, and to strengthen the work of the Coast Guard and Border Guard forces, according AIC TV.

Al-Zubaidi spoke of "documented evidence" condemning the Iranian-backed Houthi militia of cooperation with ISIS and AQAP, which carried out bloody attacks on American soil.

The Southern official said that this evidence was presented to the security services in his country. "We look forward to an active US role in stopping the war and curbing the Houthis," he added.

These calls made by Al-Zubaidi come in light of extensive security operations carried out by the Southern forces in Abyan governorate [east of Aden] for more than a year to fight AQAP in the center of the governorate.

Related: The Southern Forces Control New Strongholds for AQAP in Abyan 

"Saba" agency said that Al-Alimi praised the bilateral relations between Yemen and the United States, and Washington's positions alongside the internationally recognized legitimate Yemeni government.

According to the agency, the US Secretary of State expressed Washington's support for the PLC and stressed the importance of a unified position by the PLC to reach comprehensive peace in Yemen.

"Blinken praised the positive response by the PLC and the government to the efforts aimed at renewing the truce and reviving the peace process in Yemen," the statement added.

In the meeting, Minister Blinken said that Inclusive Yemeni-Yemeni talks mediated by the UN I think are now essential to reaching a lasting peace, according to the US State Department.

"And I’ve just come from a meeting between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, and what I heard was a strong unanimity of views about the importance of this moment, the opportunity that now lies before the Yemeni people to finally move toward a durable peace," added Blinken. 

In our judgment, the path forward is clear:  Only negotiations, not hostilities, will bring security and prosperity to the people of Yemen.  We support Mr. President’s PLC and we support direct talks among all Yemenis to reach a durable resolution.  

Blinken believes that "only negotiations, not hostilities, will bring security and prosperity to the people of Yemen.  We support Mr. President’s PLC and we support direct talks among all Yemenis to reach a durable resolution."

Meanwhile, Oman-mediated talks continue between a Houthi delegation and Saudi officials in Riyadh, after the Houthi delegation arrived last Thursday in its first public visit.

Related: The Houthis arrive in Riyadh in their first public visit to hold talks