(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The US on Tuesday confirmed a report published in the Wall Street Journal, claiming American officials "secretly" met with Houthi representatives in Oman's capital Muscat, in a bid to secure the release of journalist Casey Coombs.
"These meetings in general, including that one that's mentioned in that story [are] a part of our broad engagement with elements of the Yemeni political spectrum," State Department Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters.
"We used that meeting to reinforce our view that there can only be a political solution to the conflict in Yemen, and that all parties, including the Houthis, should commit to participation in the UN-led political process," she added.
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Anne Patterson, also "traveled to Amman and Saudi Arabia to conduct meetings and conversations with a variety of regional parties on the crisis in Yemen writ large," Harf confirmed.
"They were really focused on getting the different political constituencies to attend the planned talks in Geneva... including the Houthis," she said.
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