[News] Yemen conflict: Saudi Arabia puts forward peace plan

[EVIL BABY.]

Saudi Arabia has proposed a new peace plan to end nearly six years of war in Yemen.

It suggests a UN-supervised ceasefire between Yemen's Saudi-backed government and Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran.

The plan also includes the reopening of vital air and sea links, and the start of political negotiations.

Houthi rebels have said the offer did not appear to go far enough to lift the air and sea blockade in place.The proposal was announced in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who called on the Houthis, who control large swathes of Yemen, to accept it.

He said the ceasefire would come into force as soon as the Houthis accepted it.

Yemen's internationally recognised government has welcomed the offer, but the Houthis have said the initiative provided "nothing new", and fell short of their demand for a complete lifting of the blockade on the airport in the capital, Sanaa, and the western port of Hudaydah.

"We expected that Saudi Arabia would announce an end to the blockade of ports and airports and an initiative to allow in 14 ships that are held by the coalition," Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters news agency.

The group would continue to talk with the Saudis, the US and mediator Oman for a peace agreement, he said.Saudi officials say they are co-ordinating their steps with the United Nations and the United States, which have also stepped up their efforts to end a conflict which has created the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Only days ago, the Houthis rejected a US plan for a nationwide ceasefire.