UN chief ready to meet Saudi crown prince on Yemen war

The UN has said it is hopeful that Yemen's warring parties will come around the negotiating table.
2 min read
29 November, 2018
Guterres says he will meet Saudi Arabia's crown prince [Getty]
The UN's chief has said he is ready to meet Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince to discuss the ongoing war in Yemen, as the possibility of peace talks moves a step further.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday he will travel to Argentina for the G20 summit, where he will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the country's involvement in the Yemen conflict.

"I am ready to discuss it with the crown prince or with any Saudi official because I believe it is a very important objective at the present moment," said Guterres.

He said "there is a chance" that peace talks between Yemen's warring parties could be held in Sweden as early as December.

"I believe there is a chance to be able to start effective negotiations in Sweden early in December, but we are not yet there."

"We are at a very crucial moment in relation to Yemen," Guterres," added.

Saudi Arabia's crown prince arrived in Argentina on Wednesday, ahead of this week's G20 summit.

His visit comes amid a cloud of controversy, as a probe by Argentina into Prince Mohammed's alleged involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the war in Yemen advances.

The US Senate meanwhile moved a step closer to ending the Washington's support for the Saudi-led coalition's war in Yemen.

Yemen's war has cost at least 10,000 lives and put millions at the brink of starvation, due to Saudi-led air strikes and a blockade.