The Arab Parliament, the legislative body of the Arab League, reiterated the need to hold the Iran-backed Houthi militias liable to the Stockholm agreement, otherwise known as the UN-brokered Hodeidah ceasefire agreement. It also renounced the Houthis oppression against lawmakers.

“The Stockholm agreement is an essential element of the peace process in Yemen, and all parties should implement it,” the Parliament said in a statement issued in Cairo. It added that Houthis must abide by the ceasefire and withdraw from Hodeidah city and its ports.

Houthis, according to the statement, must also release abductees and those under house arrest in areas under their control and lift the siege off Taiz.

The Parliament stressed it is closely following up developments on the Yemeni scene, whether it be political, economic or social.

Over ten months have passed since the signing of the Stockholm agreement yet with no tangible results due to Houthi intransigence in implementing UN Security Council resolutions 2451 and 2452.

The Arab Parliament affirmed that peace in Yemen can be achieved through a political solution based on the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanisms, the outcomes of national dialogue and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, especially resolution 2216 of 2015.

It also reaffirmed its firm position in backing the internationally-recognized government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi against the Houthis.

It also demanded that the UN Security Council shoulder its responsibilities in forcing Houthi militias to respect their commitments to the Stockholm deal.

The Arab Parliament also condemned the Houthis for seizing the funds and property of the Speaker of the Yemeni House of Representatives and 34 deputies who attended the parliamentary sessions held in the city of Seiyun in April.

A.Awsat