China News Agency, United Nations, August 15 (Reporter Wang Fan) Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at the Security Council on the 15th that China welcomes Yemeni parties to extend the truce again this month, and calls on relevant parties to fully implement the truce agreement and further expand the truce. results.

  On the same day, Zhang Jun presided over an open meeting of the Security Council on the Yemen issue.

The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen, Grundberg, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Al-Mudawi, gave briefings at the meeting.

  Grundberg said that two weeks ago, Yemen's warring parties agreed to extend the truce reached in April for another two months.

Civilian casualties in the areas concerned have fallen significantly since the agreement was implemented, with civilian casualties in the first week of the month falling to their lowest levels since the beginning of the conflict and the truce in Yemen.

He also stressed that the truce is a temporary measure and that Yemen will continue to rely on the support of the international community to implement, extend and expand the current agreement.

  Mudawi said the deteriorating exchange rate has made food unaffordable for Yemeni people, as the region relies on imports for almost all food, and related commercial imports have declined in recent months.

The United Nations Yemen Verification and Inspection Mechanism team needs $3.5 million to support Yemeni private sector imports by December.

If funds are not available, the relevant mechanism will fail.

  Zhang Jun said at the meeting that China welcomes the extension of the truce by all parties in Yemen on August 2.

The conflict in Yemen has dragged on for more than seven years.

The situation in Yemen is at a critical stage from chaos to rule.

All parties in Yemen must firmly grasp the general direction of political settlement, and the international community must play a constructive role in promoting peace and talks, actively and steadily consolidate and expand the truce arrangement, and create conditions for long-term peace and stability.

  Zhang Jun pointed out that the first is to fully implement the truce agreement, the second is to further expand the achievements of the truce, the third is to focus on improving the humanitarian situation, and the fourth is to create a good regional environment.

  Zhang Jun said that China calls on all parties in Yemen to seize the window of opportunity brought about by the extension of the truce, and meet each other halfway on issues related to people's livelihood and well-being, such as the opening of roads in Taz and other provinces, the payment of civil servants' salaries, and the expansion of international routes at Sana'a Airport.

China welcomes the progress made by the Yemeni government and the Houthis on prisoner exchange.

It is hoped that the parties to the conflict will fully demonstrate their political will and flexible posture, strengthen consultation under the mediation of Special Envoy Grundberg, and reach an agreement on the extension of the truce at an early date.

  Zhang Jun said that the United Nations' aid projects in Yemen are facing the pressure of insufficient funds.

China calls on the international community to take immediate action.

All parties in Yemen should also provide necessary facilitation and cooperation for humanitarian operations.

He stressed that the situation in Yemen concerns peace and stability in the Gulf region.

China encourages countries in the region to adhere to the principles of mutual respect, meet each other halfway, and progress in an orderly manner, and resolve their respective concerns through consultations on an equal footing.

Countries outside the region should provide useful support for the peaceful settlement of the Yemen issue.

China has always advocated respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

We will always stand with the Yemeni people and continue to work with the Gulf countries and the international community to make greater contributions to promoting the Yemeni peace process.

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