The Prime minister of the "legitimate" Yemeni government, Dr. Ma'een Abdulmalik that Houthi play of handing over the ports to themselves before the envoy of the United Nations and the head of the UN Redeployment Committee is not acceptable act and clearly contradicts Stockholm agreement.
Abdulmalik said during a meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Yemen Vladimir Dedushkin on Monday in Riyadh
that the job of the UN envoy and the head of redeployment committee is implementing UN resolutions and signed agreements not welcoming unilateral steps for prolonging the war against Yemeni people.
The Yemeni internationally-recognized government said Thursday it rejects the UN management of the Hodeida three ports, after it strongly criticized on Wednesday the UN envoy's briefing to the Security Council.
The Yemeni government has repeatedly said the triple-machine adopted by the Hodeida Redeployment Coordination Committee means any withdrawal should be verified by all; the government, UN and Houthis.
According to Aden-based Yemeni "Saba" news agency the Prime Minister Ma'een Abdulmalik discussed Monday with Russian Ambassador to Yemen Vladimir Dedushkin developments in Yemen and continuous Houthi rejection in implementing peace efforts and escalation for shedding blood of Yemeni people.
"The meeting dealt with recent development on implementing Stockholm agreement on Hodeida after five months of signing it and Houthi militia delay in implementing it, as well as the comic announcement of unilateral withdrawal from Hodeida ports and handing them over to other elements from their group.", the agency reported.
Parties to the 4-year war in Yemen, after 8-day peace talks in Sweden, reached on the 13th of last December an agreement providing for ceasefire in Hodeida and redeployment of both sides' forces, exchanging prisoners and alleviating blockade imposed by Houthis on Taiz.
But none of this has taken place so far, with both sides trading blames for trying to thwart the deal.
Yemen has been battered by a five-year armed conflict between the internationally recognised government backed by the Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-backed Houthis. The Houthis have been controlling the capital Sanaa and large parts of most densely populated northern, middle and western regions since they ousted the government in late 2014.
The conflict has caused what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
More than 24 million people, more than 80% of the country's population, are in need some form of humanitarian or protection assistance, including 8.4 million people who don't know where their next meal will come from, according to the UN.
And there are nearly 2 million children suffering from acute malnutrition, the UN said.
