Local Editor
Russia calls on all sides of the conflict in Yemen to cease all unilateral steps aimed at undermining the peace process, Russia’s Deputy UN Envoy Vladimir Safronkov stated on Monday during the UN Security Council’s session on Yemen.
"We urge all Yemenis to abandon all unilateral steps that undermine the prospects of starting a political process and significantly impede UN’s mediating efforts," he stressed. "We wait until the first phase of redeployment is complete."
Safronkov stated that the situation in Yemen remains tragic, and the implementation of bilateral agreements signed in Stockholm is at a standstill.
However, the Russian diplomat pointed out that it is still possible "to move on to the discussion of regulation framework", which requires the international community to support the efforts of UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths.
The war between Yemen’s popular Houthi Ansarullah movement and the resigned regime of former Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi has been raging since August 2014. The conflict entered an active phase when a Saudi-led coalition invaded the country at the request of Hadi. Saudi Arabia, supported by the air forces of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, is involved in a military operation against the rebels. Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan are also part of the coalition.
Agreements concerning Yemen’s largest Red Sea port of Hodeida were reached during consultations in Sweden in December 2018. Houthi forces and the Hadi loyalists agreed to halt hostilities and gradually withdraw armed units from Hodeida, as well as from the ports of Salif and Ras Isa. A monitoring committee was established, which comprises representatives of the opposing sides and head of a team of UN ceasefire monitors Patrick Cammaert.
Since a ceasefire took effect on December 18, both parties to the conflict have been accusing each other of violations. At the same time, both failed to withdraw troops and create demilitarized zones, so the agreement’s implementation has been stalled.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
