UN chief wants end to Yemen fighting before peace talks
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon intends to convene a conference in the near future to restart the peace process in Yemen but wants the fighting to stop before sending out invitations.
U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters Monday that Ban regrets that a five-day humanitarian pause was not extended despite repeated calls by the United Nations.
Haq said the U.N. chief reiterates his call for all parties to create the conditions for a permanent cease-fire.
“We want to see the fighting decisively stopped and then we can get about to organize inviting people to a conference,” he said.
Haq said Yemen’s health facilities reported higher casualties which “are likely to be underestimates” — 1,820 people killed and 7,330 injured since March 19 due to the conflict.