ISLAMABAD: Iran and Pakistan agree on cessation of hostilities in Yemen, but disagree on the route to peace with the former calling for an immediate ceasefire and the latter inclined to United Nations intervention.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who is in Pakistan on a two-day visit, discussed with Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz the aggravating situation in Yemen and presented a formula for an end to the conflict.

The four-point Iranian proposal includes getting all sides to agree on an immediate ceasefire, provision of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis trapped in the conflict, initiation of an intra-Yemen dialogue and formation of a broad-based government.

Earlier, Mr Zarif, who visited Oman before coming to Pakistan, shared the same proposal with the Omani government. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Tehran carrying a Saudi message.

“This problem should be left to the Yemenis to resolve. We can only facilitate them and help them to talk to each other and finish fighting,” Mr Zarif, accompanied by Mr Aziz, said at a press conference after their talks at the Foreign Office.

He almost ruled out an Iranian dialogue with Saudi Arabia on Yemen, saying it was only for the Yemenis to sort it out without any external influence.

Pakistan seeks UN intervention to end hostilities

He said that there should be no preconditions for a ceasefire and subsequent start of a dialogue. He warned that Al Qaeda and the self-styled Islamic State were waiting to seize control of Yemen.

“People of Yemen should not suffer from aerial bombardment. We need to find a political solution,” he said.

Criticising aerial strikes by the Saudi-led coalition, Mr Zarif mentioned attacks on hospitals, refugee camps and powerhouses that caused civilian casualties.

Giving Pakistani position, Mr Aziz said: “One possibility may be a UN Security Council action.”

He said that a draft resolution submitted by Russia to UN Security Council called for a ceasefire. But doing so, he feared, would “consolidate the ground position” of the militias that had overthrown President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi’s government. Mr Hadi later fled to Saudi Arabia and is considered as the ‘legitimate’ president of Yemen by Saudi Arabia and its allies.

The Gulf Cooperation Council’s draft resolution moved by Jordan, he said, in contrast sought an embargo on arms supply to Yemen, condemnation of removal of the legitimate government and disarming of militias.

Mr Aziz said that a compromise resolution that could facilitate a UN intervention was required. “Ceasefire alone would not do and environment has to be created for a negotiated settlement,” he added.

Responding to Mr Aziz’s suggestion, the Iranian minister said: “You want a UN resolution, let it be. But, there is need to stop fighting and bombardment and start talking.”

BILATERAL AGENDA: The bilateral agenda got relegated because of the Yemen crisis, which has the potential of turning into a bigger regional conflict.

Nevertheless, the two sides discussed the issue of cross-border terrorism in Iran from alleged sanctuaries on Pakistani side and the prospects of trade after the end of sanctions on Iran following conclusion of an expected nuclear deal by the end of June.

The killing of eight Iranian guards on Monday by militants, who Iran claims came from Pakistan, has brought back to limelight the issue of Pakistani security forces not doing enough to secure the border with Iran.

Mr Aziz said that maintaining peace on the border was a “strategic necessity” and called for using institutional mechanisms for addressing the issue.

Mr Zarif, meanwhile, asked for greater cooperation from Pakistan on the issue. “We need to work together to prevent such incidents from recurring,” he underscored.

Speaking about bilateral trade, Mr Aziz said that there would be lot of opportunities for expanding trade and economic ties after the sanctions are lifted.

Mr Zarif will meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday before returning home.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2015

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