HOUTHIS CONDEMN UN RESOLUTION ON YEMEN

Mob pro Houthi rebels in Sanaa, capital of Yemen. (Photo: Beforeitsnews.com file) — **Mob pro Houthi rebels in Sanaa, capital of Yemen.** (Photo: Beforeitsnews.com file)

Sanaa, 27 Jumadil Akhir 1436/16 April 2015 (MINA) – Yemen’s Houthi fighters have condemned a UN Security Council resolution imposing an arms embargo on the group, saying the decision supported “aggression”.

In a news flash on the group’s official television channel on Tuesday, the Houthis’ governing body, the Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said it “calls on the masses of the Yemeni people to rally and protest on Thursday to condemn the Security Council resolution in support of the aggression”.

The Security Council resolution, passed earlier on Tuesday, also calls on the Houthis to withdraw from areas they have seized, including the capital Sanaa, Al Jazeera quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The 15-member council passed the resolution with 14 countries voting in favour while one – Russia – abstained.

Russia, one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, said the embargo should have been imposed on the whole country.

Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, said the resolution was not fully in line with the requirements which were put forward to the international community.

“The adopted resolution should not be used for further escalation of the armed conflict which could have the most difficult consequences for Yemen itself as well as the whole region,” he said.

“There is no alternative to a political solution to the conflict in Yemen.”

Churkin said Russia’s “constructive proposals” were not taken into account during the drafting of the resolution, the second passed on Yemen this year. The first was passed in February.

Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN, said her country strongly supported the resolution as it “shows that the Security Council will take action against those who continue to undermine the efforts to the reconciliation”.

She also said that “a legitimate transition in Yemen can only be achieved through political negotiations and a consensus agreement among all political parties based on the [Gulf Cooperation Council] GCC initiative and the outcomes of Yemen’s national dialogue conference”.(T/P001/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)