Yemen Peace Talks Begin in Switzerland

"The UN-sponsored consultations aimed at finding a durable settlement to the Yemen crisis started today in Switzerland," UN spokesman Ahmad Fawzi told reporters.

"These consultations seek to establish a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, secure improvements to the humanitarian situation and a return to a peaceful and orderly political transition," he added, AFP reported.

Yemen's more-than-year-long conflict started when local forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition attacked Shiite Houthis in support of fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Previous UN efforts have failed to narrow differences, and past ceasefires were broken.

Fawzi said 12 negotiators and six advisers made up each of the two delegations taking part in the talks, being held at an undisclosed location in Switzerland.

The meeting in Switzerland began after the Saudi-led coalition battling Houthis said a planned seven-day ceasefire had begun.

In a statement, UN Special Envoy on the Yemen crisis Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed voiced optimism that the new ceasefire would hold.

"The cessation of hostilities which was called today should mark the end of military violence in Yemen and the transition to progress based on negotiations dialogue and consensus," he said.

"Making peace is a fundamental requirement to rebuild Yemen, rehabilitate the basic infrastructure, address the consequences of the war, provide the necessary environment to normalize life in all governorates, and resume economic activity," he added.

The UN said its experts were working with the delegations "to provide support to develop agreements which improve humanitarian access and delivery and to aid in the development of a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire."

The United Nations says more than 5,800 people have been killed, about half of them civilians, and more than 27,000 wounded since Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in March.