SANA, Yemen — Leaders of the Houthi militia that dominates Yemen agreed on a compromise legislative council on Friday, according to a United Nations mediator, but the move fell far short of the goal of forming a new government and choosing a leader.
Yemen has been without a government since Jan. 22, when President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his entire cabinet resigned under pressure from the Houthis, who had taken control of the capital and much of the country’s military.
Jamal Benomar, the United Nations mediator who has been leading talks between the Houthis and other political groupings, said that the formation of the council was not a final agreement, but that it nevertheless represented “an important breakthrough that paves the way toward a comprehensive agreement,” a statement released by his office said.
The compromise would keep the existing Parliament in place, but add a “people’s transitional council” as, in effect, an upper legislative chamber. That council would comprise members drawn from the Houthis as well as from other groups that are underrepresented in the traditional Parliament, including young people, women and people from southern Yemen.
That represents a significant concession by the Houthis, who had declared their intention to dismiss Parliament and replace it with members of their revolutionary committees. They have insisted they do not want to dominate the country but just want a share of power in a new government, which they do not feel they had previously.
The new council, along with the old Parliament, would together enact legislation to guide a transition to a new government, Mr. Benomar said. Still unresolved is how to choose a new president or replace the cabinet. Mr. Hadi and many of his cabinet members remain under house arrest, despite a resolution by the United Nations Security Council last week demanding their release.
Mr. Benomar’s statement indicated that the parties would continue their efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement on choosing a president and cabinet and providing security and political guarantees. “Full agreement will not be announced until there’s a full agreement on all those issues,” Mr. Benomar said.
SAUDI ARABIA
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North and South Yemen were separate countries for many years and the Houthis, members of a northern tribal confederation, are deeply unpopular in the south. In addition, they are dominated by members of the Zaydi sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, whereas most Yemenis are Sunni Muslims.
Yemen has what Western leaders view as the most dangerous international terrorist organization, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and the group’s militants have tried to make common cause with Sunni tribes against the Houthis.
“Tribes are now fighting with Al Qaeda. This is a serious development. Until now A.Q.A.P. had failed to strike strategic alliances with tribes,” Mr. Benomar said. “It’s a new situation. With the Houthis’ advance, they have a common enemy.”
The Houthis have sought to play down their anti-American stance since effectively taking control of the government, and they have made no move to try to stop American drone strikes against Al Qaeda in Yemen — even though they had vigorously denounced the use of drones by foreign powers.
Nonetheless, the militants have found themselves increasingly isolated internationally. Over the past two weeks, nearly all Western and regional embassies have closed, including the American Embassy and those of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Japan and others. Only a few countries, including Russia, Iran and Syria, have kept their embassies open.
Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, is heavily dependent financially on aid from Western donors and the World Bank, especially since Saudi Arabia’s decision last year to end its $4 billion in annual aid — more than any other country — after the Houthis took control of the capital. The World Bank officially closed its office in Sana for one month beginning Wednesday, said a spokesman for the bank, William Stebbins.
Mr. Stebbins said the World Bank was assessing the impact on its operations of political developments in the country. In the meantime, World Bank missions to the country were suspended as well, he said. The World Bank had been scheduled to provide Yemen with $1.1 billion in assistance.
