CRI听力:UN Envoy Meets Yemen Rebels at Geneva Peace Talks

The United Nations special envoy on Yemen has held talks in Geneva with Houthi rebels to seek an end to the civil war in Yemen.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed says the road ahead will be difficult, but he insists getting both sides of the conflict to Geneva is a great achievement.

"It is an important start towards the return to a political process. Let us be realistic - it will be a difficult path. But the important issue is that we start addressing the crisis, in all its dimensions, with determination and willingness, and that we start doing this now, here in Geneva."

The UN envoy is also warning nothing will be resolved unless the rebels and the government agree to sit down together.

The sides have agreed to so-called proximity talks, in which mediators meet separately with the various factions - with the hope of eventually getting everyone to sit around the same table.

Houthi delegate Ghaleb Mutlak says they are trying to achieve a truce for the holy month of Ramadan that starts later this week.

"Discussions are taking place about a ceasefire and starting a truce for a period of a month or so. During this truce, the political dialogue would continue, because there are humanitarian issues that we all have to deal with, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen."

So far neither side has shown desire to compromise in the talks.

Meanwhile, fighting in Yemen is still raging, with dozens reported killed on Tuesday in the southern city of Aden.