(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Yemen's exiled president took a hard line on Monday ahead of weekend peace talks in Geneva, ruling out negotiations with Iran-backed rebels and denouncing Tehran's "dangerous" meddling in his country.
President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi said the sole item for discussion would be the implementation of a resolution adopted by the UN Security Council in April demanding the rebels withdraw from the large areas of the country they have seized.
"There will be no negotiations," Hadi told Al-Arabiya television.
"It will be just a discussion about how to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2216. We will have a consultation."
Asked if his government's delegation would discuss reconciliation with the rebel negotiating team, Hadi said: "Not at all."
Yemen's Prime Minister Khaled Bahah echoed Hadi's remarks, telling a news conference in Riyadh that the Geneva meeting would be merely a "consultative" process.
Bahah, who is also vice president, said the exiled government would head to the meeting with only one goal - "implementing 2216 and reinstating the state" overran by Houthis.
Once the legitimate government is reinstated, "all political factions return to dialogue to resume the political process... and approve the draft constitution and organise elections," he added.
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