Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has welcomed the start of the process of releasing nearly 900 people who have been detained in the context of the conflict in the country.

For its part, the European Union welcomed the prisoner exchange process in Yemen, which was negotiated by the United Nations Special Envoy, Hans Grundberg, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, and began its work on Friday.
A press release published by the European Union's External Action Service, on its official website, said: "This initial release of 887 detainees held by parties to the conflict in Yemen, in line with the agreement reached in Geneva last month, is a decisive step in the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement." "For the year 2018 and brings hope to all remaining conflict-related detainees and their families. In this context, the EU also welcomes the commitment of the parties to continue negotiations on the Detainee Exchange Agreement."

According to what was stated in the United Nations news bulletin, which we received a copy of today, Saturday, "This step comes within the framework of implementing the plan agreed upon by the parties at the last meeting of the Supervisory Committee for the Implementation of the Detainee Exchange Agreement, which was held in March in Switzerland. The parties have pledged to meet again in a month." May to organize more releases of detainees.
The release process began on Friday and will continue for three days under the supervision and implementation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which includes flights between six airports in Yemen and Saudi Arabia to return the released detainees to their home countries.
Mr. Grundberg thanked the parties for their cooperation in implementing the plan, and expressed his gratitude for the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
  The UN envoy said, "The release process comes at a time of hope in Yemen, as a reminder that constructive dialogue and mutual settlements are powerful tools capable of achieving important results. Hundreds of Yemeni families can now celebrate Eid with their families because the parties negotiated and reached an agreement. I hope this spirit will be reflected." In the ongoing efforts to push for a comprehensive political solution.
However, Mr. Grundberg noted, thousands of other families are still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. He expressed his hope that the parties would build on the success of this process "to fulfill the commitment they made to the Yemeni people in the Stockholm Agreement to release all those detained in the context of the conflict to end this suffering."
  Special Envoy Grundberg also urged the parties to immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily detained persons, and to adhere to international legal standards regarding detention and fair trials.
It is noteworthy that the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General and the International Committee of the Red Cross co-chair the Supervisory Committee for the Implementation of the Detainee Exchange Agreement, whose membership includes the parties to the conflict.