UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed the launch of intra-Yemeni consultations in Sweden and urged the parties to make progress by exercising flexibility and engaging in good faith and without preconditions.
"The secretary-general appeals to the warring parties to continue the de-escalation in Hudaydah and explore other measures to mitigate the life-threatening economic and humanitarian situation," said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres' spokesman, in a statement.
Guterres reminded the parties that a negotiated political settlement through inclusive intra-Yemeni dialogue is the only way to end the conflict and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis, said the statement.
The warring parties in Yemen are holding consultations in Stockholm under the auspices of the United Nations.
Yemen has been in civil war in the past three years, pitting Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition to restore the Hadi government.
UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock warned at the weekend that Yemen is on the brink of a major catastrophe, after his just-ended visit to Yemen.
