Yemeni gov't, rebels start peace talks in Doha

Qatari-mediated peace talks to shore up a fragile ceasefire in northern Yemen kicked off Tuesday in the Qatari capital Doha between Yemeni government and Shiite rebels, a spokesman of the Yemeni Foreign Ministry told Xinhua.

"The two sides have already begun wide-ranging negotiations to reach a final reconciliation about the conflict in northern Yemeni province of Saada," the spokesman, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua by phone.

"We have learned about the agenda of negotiations which set by the Qatari official brokers," he added.

The spokesman said the governmental delegation consisting of military representatives was headed by army Brigadier Ali al-Qaisy, who is also the chairman of the post-war joint committee overseeing the implementation of the February 2010 truce deal.

The rebel delegation was chaired by Yousif al-Faishy, the group 's representative of the post-war joint committee as well as Yahya al-Houthi, a brother of the shiite rebels' leader.

Representatives of the Yemeni government and rebels arrived in Doha on Sunday, the spokesman said.

The peace talks on Tuesday came a day after fierce clashes between the rebels and government-backed tribes, leaving five tribesmen and two rebels dead in Amran province, north of the capital Sanaa.


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