Date : 15/02/2013
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 15 (KUNA) -- After days of wrangling and redrafting to
allay Russia's concerns, the Security Council on Friday welcomed Yemeni
President Abdo Rabbu Mansour Hadi's announcement of the launch of the National
Dialogue Conference on March 18, and threatened the spoilers of the political
transition process, mainly his predecessor Ali Abdallah Salah, with sanctions.
Council President Kim Sook of the Republic of Korea emphasized in a
presidential statement he read out in a Council open meeting the need for the
Conference to be conducted in an "inclusive manner involving the full
participation of all segments of Yemeni society, including representatives
from the South and other regions, and the full and effective participation of
youth and women."
Commending those who have engaged constructively in the preparatory stages
of the process and welcoming the decree on the formation of the Executive
Bureau for the Mutual Accountability Framework, the Council reiterated the
need for the transitional period to be a Yemeni-led process, underpinned by a
commitment to democracy, good governance, rule of law, national reconciliation
and respect for human rights.
Expressing its expectation that the National Dialogue Conference will lead
to a constitutional referendum and elections by February 2014, the Council
called on all parties to honour the timetable and benchmarks set out in the
transition agreement and on all sides to act in "good faith, in a peaceful,
transparent, constructive, and reconciliatory manner."
Concerned over reports by individuals who do not adhere to the guiding
principles of the transition process, including former President Saleh and
former Vice President Ali Salim Al-Beidh, the Council urged all the parties in
Yemen to resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation, reject
acts of violence to achieve political goals, refrain from provocations, and
fully abide by relevant Council resolutions.
Reaffirming its commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and
territorial integrity of Yemen, the Council reiterated its readiness to also
consider "further measures," including sanctions under Article 41 of the UN
Charter if these spoilers continue to undermine the Government of National
Unity and the political transition.
In this connection, the Council expressed "concern over reports of money
and weapons being brought into Yemen from outside for the purpose of
undermining the transition," in an indirect reference to Iran's alleged
transfer of weapons destined to the Houthies in the north or the separatists
in the south of Yemen.
This reference to money and weapons is now in a separate paragraph after
Russia objected to linking it to Saleh. The original paragraph rejected by
Russia read "The Security Council notes, in particular, persistent allegations
against Ali Abdullah Saleh, Ali Salim Al-Beidh, and certain individuals and
groups that receive money and weapons from outside of Yemen for the purpose of
undermining the transition."
Welcoming Sanaa's commitment to end the recruitment and use of children by
the Yemeni security forces, the Council urged the Yemeni Government to pass
legislation on transitional justice to support reconciliation without further
delay and to respect the rule of law and protect human rights, in accordance
with Yemen's international legal obligations, particularly those of women and
children.
Underscoring the need for continued international support for Yemen's
political transition, including through the fulfilment of the USD eight
billion commitment made by donors to support Yemen, the Council vowed to
remain closely engaged on the situation in Yemen and to continue to closely
follow the next steps towards a peaceful political transition.
It finally welcomed the continued and coordinated efforts of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC), the Secretary General's Good Offices, including
through his Special Adviser Jamal Benomar, the wider diplomatic community, and
the next meeting of the Friends of Yemen scheduled to take place in London on
March 7th.
A Council mission visited Yemen on January 27 and today's statement is
meant to demonstrate the Council's firm commitment to remain closely engaged
with the political transition process in the country and to apply pressure on
the spoilers of that process. (more)
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