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Members of the UAE armed forces secure an area while searching for landmines in Al-Mokha, Yemen. Image Credit: Reuters

Manama: Kuwait has reiterated its readiness to host Yemeni stakeholders if they are willing to reach a deal and break the political stalemate.

“Yemen is among the top priorities of Kuwait as a non-permanent member in the Security Council,” Khalid Al Jarallah, the deputy minister of foreign affairs, said in remarks published by Al Nahar daily on Saturday. “Kuwait had hosted them for three months and the Yemenis were about to reach an agreement, but regrettably matters changed in the last minute. We sincerely look forward to the Yemenis reaching an accord that would settle the crisis that has been facing their country for years.”

Kuwait in January became one of the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council and its leaders have pledged to exert special efforts to ensure the success of their tenure.

Al Jarallah said that no invitations have been sent yet to the anticipated Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — US summit in the US.

There are attempts to hold the summit, but there are no invitations yet, he said, adding that prominent GCC figures were likely to visit the US “maybe to prepare for the summit.”

“We look forward to the summit and to the end of the conflict within the GCC. The region is facing very grave challenges and we cannot deal with them individually. We need a strong council to deal with them. We in Kuwait want an end to the conflict so that we can better deal with the challenges.”

The GCC, established in 1981, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

On June 5, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut off their diplomatic, trade and travel relations with Qatar after they accused it of supporting extremists and funding terrorism.

They issued a list of 13 demands, but Qatar rejected them. Kuwait led mediation efforts to put an end to the conflict, but no breakthroughs or incremental achievements have been accomplished.

The Quartet has regularly stressed that the solution lies within the GCC and that attempts to internationalise the crisis would not lead anywhere.