RIYADH: The Saudi-led coalition fighting in support of Yemen’s government would prefer a broad political settlement to a ceasefire, its spokesman said on Monday. “I think now it’s not a question of talking about a ceasefire,” Brigadier General Ahmed Assiri told AFP. Late on Sunday a Huthi rebel leader, Saleh al-Sammad, proposed a truce on the country’s border with Saudi Arabia in exchange for a halt in Saudi-led air strikes on his forces. Assiri said the coalition welcomes “any effort to have a genuine political settlement” under a peace initiative proposed last month by US Secretary of State John Kerry. This is preferable to a “short ceasefire without any control, without any observation”, he said. Previous truces in the 18-month war collapsed. After talks in Saudi Arabia with his Gulf counterparts, Kerry outlined a plan which offers the Huthis participation in government in exchange for an end to violence and a surrender of weapons.