Yemen's Houthi back dialogue

[IndianaGreen]

Yemen's Houthi back dialogue

UPDATED ON:
Monday, July 19, 2010
19:32 Mecca time, 16:32 GMT

Yemen's Houthi rebels have voiced their support for a recent agreement signed between the country's ruling party and the opposition, aimed at creating a national dialogue between Yemen's political rivals.

The Shia rebel group said on Monday that the agreement sealed between the ruling General People's Congress and a coalition of opposition parties will pave the way for a "comprehensive dialogue which excludes no one".

"We express our satisfaction and support for the agreement between the Common Forum and the (ruling) General People's Congress," the AFP news agency reported, citing a statement signed by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the rebels.

The agreement was signed on Saturday with members of the opposition Common Forum, which groups al-Islah (Reform) party, the main Islamist opposition and the Yemeni Socialist Party, as well as other smaller factions.

It is aimed at finding ways of implementing a February 2009 deal for national dialogue and postponing a parliamentary election until April 2011 to allow time to amend Yemen's constitution.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/07/2010719123731114153.html

While Yemen's strongman Saleh has a dismal human rights record, we cannot automatically dismiss any effort by the Yemenis to seek a peaceful solution. Who wants a permanent state of war within their borders (or outside their borders)?