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In the seven years since the beganÌýthere have been frequent calls for peace talks between rival powers.

Numerous have been sponsored by the UN and other regional powers since 2015 in an attempt to restore political stability amid escalations of violence.

Despite thisÌýnone of the proposed negotiationsÌýhave made significant headway or resulted in lasting peaceÌýand the conflict in Yemen shows .

On 17 MarchÌýthe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) the latest round of peace talks, saying it would invite all parties involved in the conflictÌýand host a dialogue in Riyadh later this month.Ìý

Secretary-General of the GCC Nayef al-Hajraf revealed thatÌý would start on 29 MarchÌýand last until 7 April.

The diplomatic event will concentrate on six aspects,Ìýincluding political and military discussions.

"We urge a ceasefire by all Yemeni parties and urge them to start peace talks," Hajraf said, adding thatÌýinvites will be sent to everyone without any exception.

"Saudi Arabia wants an exit from the warÌýand is seeking any solution that can guarantee its interests"

Amid repeated failures of ,Ìýthe GCC's new call for political dialogue aims to end the deadlock.ÌýBut a positive outcome is unlikely.Ìý

The new bid for dialogue is spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, which is increasingly eager to end the conflict.

The seven-year Saudi-led intervention is considered a military failure and theÌýGulf kingdom is looking for a face-saving exit strategy.

µþ³Ü³ÙÌý prevailsÌýand preconditions for talksÌýhave hinderedÌýthe success of previous peace initiatives.

The Houthi movement is a crucial political and military player in the warÌýbut its reaction to theÌýGCC call for dialogue has been fraught with mistrust and doubt.Ìý

Houthi officials have rejected the host and downplayed the importance of the initiative. The rebel group sees Saudi Arabia as an Ìýand an official statement ruled out the possibility of Houthi participation in any dialogue in Riyadh this month, though talks in a neutral country are .

"It is neither logical nor fair that the host of the talks is also the sponsor of war and blockade," the statement read.

For the Houthis, the notion that Saudi Arabia would suddenly end its involvementÌýin Yemen is to believe.

The Saudi blockade on ports and airports has not been liftedÌýand airstrikes have not ceased. Saudi support for anti-Houthi forces is ongoingÌýand the Kingdom refuses to recognise the Houthi government as a legitimate authority.Ìý

As long as these remainÌýany Houthi-Saudi rapprochement will be perceived as insincere and is unlikely to succeed.

A political researcher in SanaaÌýwho wished to remain anonymousÌýtold °®Âþµº that Saudi Arabia wants an exit from the warÌýand is seeking any solution that can guarantee its interests.Ìý

"The [Saudi] Kingdom is fed up with the conflict in Yemen, and it wants the Yemeni parties to agree to resolve their differences,"Ìýthe researcher said.Ìý

"It is not worried about the Houthi inclusion in any upcoming government in Yemen. But it fears that the Houthi group has absolute power over all provinces in Yemen's north." Ìý

Looking back at how the conflict has developedÌýsince 2014Ìýit is clear that the Houthi movement does not pin its hopes onÌýdialogue.

Rather, the Houthis primarily rely on force to make advances on the ground and subdue their opponents.

"The Houthi leadership is unwilling to concede even one kilometre of what they have seizedÌýand no political dialogue can convince them to do so,"Ìýthe Sanaa-based researcher added.

"What the Houthis have capturedÌýusing weapons will never be handed over throughÌýconsultations. Houthis engage in talks to legitimise their gains and present themselves as a legitimate authority."

"The Houthi leadership is unwilling to concede even one kilometre of what they have seizedÌýand no political dialogue can convince them to do so"

CallsÌýfor dialogue no longer interest the Houthis. They are suspicious of any and all diplomatic initiatives and shore up their military preparedness when talks are proposed.

In their mind, calls for peace negotiations by the ÌýareÌýno more than a trick of war.

Dhaif Allah Al-Shami, the Houthi information minister in Sanaa, said that the real goal of the Saudi call for dialogue is to uniteÌýanti-Houthi forces.

"Information from the battlefield is proof of the massive escalation of aggression againstÌýYemen under the cover of calls for peace," he tweeted.

In response to the GCC call for peace talksÌýthe Houthis a torrent of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia's energy facilities on 21 MarchÌýcausing fires and disrupting oil production.

At the grassroots level among YemenisÌýcalls for peace by the coalition or the Houthis are not taken seriously. The recurrent setbacks of peacemaking and mediation efforts have Ìýpeople of anyÌýoptimism about the efficacy of diplomacy.

Abdulqareem Qasim, a resident in Sanaa, told °®Âþµº that the warring sides had failed the Yemeni people for seven yearsÌýandÌýseem ready to continue theÌýviolence. He believes that the prospects for peace areÌýdead.

"When the warring parties announce peace talksÌýI understand that they want to polish their images and appear as peace-seeking personalities," he said.Ìý

"All peace initiatives have just been political rhetoric. No matter how tragic the situation is, they will keep prioritising their selfish plans over the interests of the Yemeni people."

The writer is a Yemeni journalist, reporting from Yemen,Ìýwhose identity we are protecting for their security.