Peace talks on Yemen end without major agreement

Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on Sunday announced the end of the latest peace talks on Yemen, saying that the parties agreed on a framework for the negotiations and will meet again on January 14 for a new round of talks.

"Yemen's peace will only come through diplomatic negotiations," Xinhua quoted the special envoy as saying at a press conference held in the Swiss city.

He said the focus in the next few days will be on getting a renewed and sustained ceasefire.

The UN-brokered consultations aimed at finding a lasting settlement in war-torn Yemen started on Tuesday this week in Switzerland.

The consultations involve 24 Yemeni representatives and advisors in view of implementing a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, improving the humanitarian situation and returning to a peaceful and orderly political transition.

UN agencies estimate that 82 percent of the Yemeni population are currently in need of some form of humanitarian aid.