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Russian diplomat expects fruitful cooperation with West on Yemen

A Russian diplomat comments on the situation in Yemen

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Russia and Western countries can have effective cooperation in settling the Yemeni crisis, Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Africa Department Oleg Ozerov said at the Valdai International Discussion Club’s conference "Russia in the Middle East: Playing on All Fields."

"It seems to me that the Yemeni issue is a problem where Russia and Western countries have the fewest contradictions. So, we can have the most fruitful cooperation for the sake of the Yemeni people, who deserve a better fate," Ozerov said.

The diplomat called on the international community to support efforts of the new UN envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths and also resume consultations as part of the Group of Ten to start considering options of ending the conflict. "Both Saudi Arabia and other regional players equally need this."

Ozerov also stressed the importance of ending combat actions in Yemen as soon as possible since this hampers the effort to provide humanitarian assistance to the citizens who have fallen victim to the unprecedented hunger and social crisis in recent history.

The confrontation between the government forces and the Houthis (the supporters of the Ansar Allah movement) has been going on in Yemen since August 2014. It entered the most active phase in March 2015, when the Saudi Arabia-led coalition invaded the country.

According to Yemen’s Center for Rights and Development, more than 12,500 civilians died in the country during the first 800 days of the bombing. The United Nations says that some three thirds of the Yemeni population or 22.2 mln people are in need of assistance - 3.4 mln more than last year.