STC’s head reveals sharp differences among members of pro-coalition “Leadership Council”
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (YPA) – The President of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), Aidarous al-Zubaidi, revealed on Tuesday sharp differences among members of the “Presidential Leadership Council” loyal to the Saudi-led coalition headed by Rashad al-Alimi.
The STC’s president said in an interview with the British “The Guardian” newspaper that the Presidential Leadership Council, which was formed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in April 2022, suffers from political divisions and lacks appropriate procedural rules.
Al-Zubaidi, who is currently on a visit to the US capital, Washington, stressed the need to reform the “Leadership Council,” amid reports indicating an American move to restructure the council following the final agreement on the list of candidates by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which established the council equally among the leaders loyal to them.
He called for the re-export of oil and establishing revenues for the government loyal to the coalition away from Saudi grants.
Al-Zubaidi praised Sanaa’s military capabilities despite its forces being subjected to airstrikes by the coalition aircraft for eight years, saying, “The Houthis have been able to adapt and find ways to hide their capabilities, and they have the ability to withstand.”
In line with the American narrative, Al-Zubaidi accused Russia and Iran of providing Sanaa with high-quality weapons, as he said.
Al-Zubaidi indirectly condemned Sanaa forces’ bombing of the Zionist entity, saying, “The peace process is what gave the Houthis the ability to target Israel.”
The head of the STC had announced via the Russian “RT” channel his readiness to open an embassy for the Zionist entity in Aden, following the UAE’s announcement of normalizing its relations with Israel, describing the normalization of Arab capitals with Tel Aviv as “the ideal act” to achieve peace, according to him.
Al-Zubaidi indicated in another statement in an interview conducted with him by the Saudi newspaper “Okaz” during October 2021 that “the issue of normalization with Israel does not absolutely mean abandoning the Palestinian issue.”
YPA