Aden (Yemen), Sep 28 (IANS): Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, reaffirmed the Yemeni government's openness to various peace initiatives for ending the prolonged civil war, state media reported.

Al-Alimi made the remarks in a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, during which the two leaders discussed the latest developments in the ongoing Yemeni conflict and potential pathways to permanent peace, reports Xinhua, quoting state-run Saba news agency.

The Yemeni leader praised the UN for its efforts to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and emphasised the crucial roles of Saudi Arabia and Oman in facilitating a UN-sponsored political process.

He stressed that any peace initiatives must be based on the "references of the comprehensive solution agreed upon nationally, regionally, and internationally, especially relevant resolutions of international legitimacy."

Guterres, for his part, reiterated the UN's commitment to supporting the Yemeni government, pledging to mobilise necessary resources to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people and redouble efforts to resume the political process.

The high-level meeting comes at a critical juncture, as Yemen continues to grapple with a decade-long conflict between the internationally recognized government and the Houthis, who control the capital, Sanaa, and most northern provinces.

Yemen has remained in a fragile calm since October 2, 2022, when the UN announced the failure of the two conflicting parties to extend and expand a six-month truce that had been in place.

Despite diplomatic efforts over the years, neither side has shown willingness to revive negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict, which, according to UN estimates, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and pushed millions to the brink of famine.