Aden (South24) 

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Today, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) issued a statement in response to the announcement of the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, that the parties had reached a commitment to a set of measures within a roadmap regarding Yemen.

The STC official website said: "The STC welcomes the efforts made by the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman aimed at stopping the war in Yemen."

“We followed the statement issued by the UN envoy regarding the road map, and while we welcome any peace efforts after consultations are completed with all active parties to ensure the achievement of a comprehensive and successful political process, we stress the necessity of having a political process to resolve South Issue by including it in the negotiating path that will be sponsored by the UN," the statement added.

The STC's statement represents a clear rejection of the UN envoy's announcement. On the contrary, the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Yemeni government welcomed the envoy's announcement.

A statement released by the official Saba News Agency said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the statement issued by the UN envoy regarding the efforts made to reach a roadmap under UN auspices to end the war caused by the Houthi militia.”

"The Ministry reaffirmed its positive dealings with all initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis in Yemen by peaceful means in accordance with the three terms of reference: the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanisms, the outcomes of the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, and Security Council Resolution 2216," the statement added.

So far, the Houthis, who are engaged in clashes in the Red Sea, have not issued a statement specifying their position on Grundberg's declaration on the roadmap.

In Aden, the STC President and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, met today with the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission which supports the PLC. “The meeting discussed the latest developments in the political situation in our country and efforts related to the peace process,” the official STC website reported.

It added: "In this regard, Al-Zubaidi renewed his support for the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission, stressing the importance of its role in supporting and assisting the PLC in the peace process file. He stressed the need for the components, political forces and active parties to participate in any discussions or decisions related to the peace process and political settlement".

The website quoted statements by the head of the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission, Mohammed Al-Ghaithi, who is also a senior official in the STC, in which he said: “We are continuing efforts to build joint negotiating positions between all parties, and to support the course of action of the joint negotiating delegation, which is expected to begin its duties very soon as a representative of the various forces included in the framework of the PLC".

Earlier, a former STC official said in television statements that Grundberg’s statement limited the roadmap between Rashad Al-Alimi [PLC Chairman] and the Houthis, and dismissed the STC.

In separate statements yesterday, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and the Gulf Cooperation Council welcomed Grundberg’s statement. Today, the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq and Bahrain also welcomed this statement.