Yemen peace talks in limbo after upsurge in fighting

United Nations

A peace conference for Yemen expected to be held next week in Geneva was put on hold yesterday as fighting resumed in the Arab country.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was expected to announce the conference to re-launch talks between all parties to the Yemen conflict.

But, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said "part of the problem is that the fighting has once more resumed."

"We want the fighting decisively stopped and then we can get about to organize and invite people to the conference."

"Until that happens, some of that remains a bit hypothetical," he said.

Ban regrets that there was no extension and "calls on all parties to create the conditions leading to a permanent ceasefire," said the UN spokesman.