Yemen's Houthis say they welcome talks in 'neutral' country

SANAA, Yemen (AA) – Houthi officials have welcomed calls for dialogue with the Saudi-led Arab Coalition in Yemen on the condition that the talks are held in a neutral country.

According to a statement by the Houthi-affiliated Foreign Ministry late on Thursday, the Houthis welcome talks with the countries of the Arab Coalition, but the talks must be held in a neutral country that is not involved in the war in Yemen.

The statement, which was quoted by the Houthi-run Saba news agency, also stressed that talks and peace are the principle positions for the Houthi-affiliated government based in the capital Sanaa.

On Thursday, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) invited the Yemeni parties for talks in the Saudi capital Riyadh on March 29 to discuss comprehensive peace in war-torn Yemen.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including Sanaa.

According to the UN, the conflict has created one of the world's worst man-made humanitarian crises.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar