Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs Hisham Sharaf Abdullah

AMANPOUR: Your country is literally being torn apart as we speak. We understand that there are going to be peace talks starting in December. Can you confirm that that is going to happen, that the Houthis back that and that you will somehow be represented?

ABDULLAH: Yes. We have already expressed our willingness and readiness to attend those peace consultations. They are no talks or negotiations yet. They are out of consultations to build the trust measures between the parties.

AMANPOUR: OK. So, let’s take first steps first. But can I ask you, is everything on the table or are there areas that the Houthi say, “No, we’re not going to discuss that”? Do you have red lines ahead of this first step?

ABDULLAH: Really, everything will be on the table for the trust building measures to prepare for these negotiations. We have to understand this, first consultations, build the trust between the warring parties and then, we will go to the negotiations where a lot of deals will be made.

AMANPOUR: So, Minister Abdullah, what has brought you to this point? Because it’s been incredibly difficult to bring both sides to any kind of peace negotiations? Why are you even accepting to do this?

ABDULLAH: OK. I’ll tell you why. For the sake of our population who is suffering from a lot of things and for the sake of our citizens. For the Yemeni people we are ready to sit on the table to relieve them from all these things that are happening to our country.

AMANPOUR: There seems to be lots of different factions in the Houthi movement. You are sounding reasonable right now. However, the leader of the Houthi movement wrote an op-ed in “The Washington Post” a few weeks ago Mohammed Ali al-Houthi. He said, “The United States calling to stop the war on Yemen is nothing but a way to save face after the humiliation caused by Saudi Arabia and its spoiled leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has ignored Washington’s pleas to clarify Khashoggis murder. Moreover, Trump and his administration clearly prefer to continue this devastating war because of the economic returns it produces. They drool over these arms sales prices.” That’s quite fiery. That puts the United States with its back to the wall. Of course, it does support the Saudi coalition. But just lay out your position on the United States right now.

ABDULLAH: Let me tell you something first. I’m the foreign minister of the national salvation government in Sana’a. It’s composed of two parties, the Ansarullah, the Houthis and their supporters and GPC, General People’s Congress party and their supporters. We are trying to bring peace to our population. So, peace for the people of Yemen,