File photo: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Saudi crown prince
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday he was ready to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G20 summit in Argentina to discuss stopping the war in Yemen and beginning peace talks.
In an address to reporters, Guterres said he will travel to Argentina to attend the summit that will take place Friday and Saturday.
"I think we are close to create the conditions for the possibility for peace talks to start, and that will be an extremely important objective. And, of course, Saudi Arabia is absolutely crucial for that purpose, and I'm ready to discuss it with the Crown Prince or with any other Saudi officials," Guterres said.
The secretary general noted Saudi Arabia is an important part of peace talks to stop the war in Yemen which has been wracked by violence since 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa.
An international human rights watchdog announced Monday that it had filed a submission with an Argentine federal judge on war crimes allegations against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who is expected to attend a G20 summit in Buenos Aires later this week.According to a statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Argentine authorities are currently assessing the crown prince’s role in connection with alleged war crimes by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and his possible complicity in the alleged torture of Saudi nationals, including Jamal Khashoggi.Saudi resident's meeting in Yalova related to Khashoggi’s body: Istanbul ProsecutorTunisia NGOs lead demos against bin Salman's visitKhashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After initially saying he had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later that he was killed there.Kenneth Roth, executive director of HRW, said an investigation by Argentine authorities would be a "strong signal" that powerful figures such as bin Salman are subject to law."Mohammed bin Salman should know that he may face a criminal probe if he ventures to Argentina," he added.Argentine law gives the country’s judiciary the right to investigate war crimes and torture on a global basis, opening the way for nationals of other countries to be tried for such crimes upon entering the country.Tunisia activists to protest against Saudi Crown prince visitSaudi crown prince begins second leg of Arab tour
War crimes allegations filed against Saudi crown prince
The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.
"I believe it is a very important objective at the present moment. If we are able to stop the Yemeni war, we will be stopping the most tragic humanitarian disaster we are facing in today's world."
Guterres, however, did not answer whether he would raise the issue of conducting a transparent and independent investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, after reports surfaced the CIA concluded with high confidence that bin Salman ordered the killing.
Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
After initially saying he had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later that he was killed there.
Tunisians took to the streets on Monday in protest of the planned visit of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince to their country.As part of his first overseas tour since the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Mohammad bin Salman arrived in Egypt on Monday.Though the Saudi Royal Court did not name other countries that bin Salman is due to visit, the crown prince is also expected to visit Tunisia, Algeria, and Mauritania.Tunisia NGOs lead demos against bin Salman's visitTunisia activists to protest against Saudi Crown prince visitHundreds of demonstrators swarmed the central Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis, protesting the arrival by the crown prince following the announcement of his planned visit by Tunisian presidential spokeswoman Saida Garrach.While Saudi Arabia has blamed the Oct. 2 killing of Khashoggi on a rogue hit squad, weeks of shifting explanations aroused suspicions. A CIA assessment earlier this month implicated bin Salman in the slaying.After initially saying he had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later that he was killed there.Tunisia was the birthplace of the "Arab Spring" uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa in early 2011 which overthrew the regime of the authoritarian ruler, Zein Al Abidine Ben Ali.After fleeing Tunisia amid heightened protests against his rule, Ben Ali went to Saudi Arabia, where he currently resides.Tunisian union calls national strike to press wage demandsTunisian PM seeks realistic pay deal with union
Tunisians protest planned visit of Saudi crown prince