Statement by First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy at UNSC briefing on Yemen
Mr.President,
We thank SESG Grundberg and OCHA Operations Director Wosornu for the briefings on the political and humanitarian situation in Yemen.
We are very concerned about the continuing militarization of the waters adjacent to Yemen, including the Red Sea. Apart from the presence of the so-called "coalition" led by the United States and Great Britain, there is another destabilizing factor, namely the dispatch of naval vessels from the European Union as part of Operation ASPIDES.
The importance of ensuring the safety of international navigation is beyond dispute. We strongly condemn attacks on peaceful vessels that jeopardize the lives of crew members and safety of cargoes, as well as any action that impedes freedom of navigation. We express our sincere condolences to friends and families of crew members of the "TrueConfidence" who lost their lives. We demand an immediate release of the vessel "Galaxy Leader" and its crew. We consistently mainstream such signals in our contacts with representatives of "Ansar Allah". All of us without exception are interested in de-escalation area, which is crucial for commercial navigation.
However, the operation in the Red Sea initiated by the US and its satellites has not stabilized the situation, but led to the exact opposite result. The already complex military and political situation in this part of the globe has escalated to the extreme. At the same time, even the American military admit that forceful actions of the so-called "coalition" are not yielding the result Washington seeks. As far as we can judge, they are not able to destroy or reduce the military potential of the Houthis, because the attacks have not only continued, but have become more frequent. One ship has already sunk and its crew has been killed – that is the price of escalation.
At the same time, the degree of military hysteria in the region has skyrocketed. But this does not stop our American colleagues, because the only diplomacy they recognize is gunboat diplomacy.
Mr.President,
One can approach Houthis and their demands in different ways. However, it has to be recognized that the crisis in the Red Sea was provoked to a certain extent by Israel's brutal actions against hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. And it is Israel’s American allies who do not allow to put an end to those flagrant violations of international humanitarian law. However, Washington, London and a number of other capitals try to ignore the obvious and are putting out the fire with gasoline. That is the effect that the new strikes on the territory of Yemen will have, which are nothing else but another aggression against a sovereign Arab state. Once again, we would like to emphasize that Washington and London's justification of their actions by the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter is absolutely untenable. The UN Security Council did not authorize forceful actions either in Yemen or in the adjacent waters under Chapter VII of the Charter. Security Council resolution 2722 does not envisage such a mandate either.
Needless to say that the current escalation may reverse all progress on finding a comprehensive political settlement to the conflict in Yemen. The internal political situation in the country is still relatively calm, but the window of opportunity is closing rapidly. In the current circumstances, the work of the Special Envoy is even more complicated, including in the context of finalizing the road map for an inter-Yemeni settlement. Our support for your efforts, Mr. Grundberg, remains unwavering. It is important to remain mindful of the need to update the international legal framework for a settlement in Yemen.
Mr.President,
Russia continues its close contacts with all leading Yemeni political forces and key regional partners. For example, on February 26-29, we hosted in Moscow the President of the Council of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Yemen, A. bin Mubarak. We have consistently emphasized the need to resolve the situation exclusively through negotiations, political and diplomatic means within the framework of an inclusive inter-Yemeni dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations. We call on all the stakeholders to focus on the domestic agenda of their own country, which is the most important thing at the moment.
We also call on the international community to continue working towards ending the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip - the resolution of that issue will be key to stabilizing the situation not only in the Red Sea but also in other parts of the Middle East, where Israel's actions provoke righteous anger and indignation. Another key factor is the long-standing Palestinian issue. Without a just solution to it based on agreed international legal parameters, the region will forever be a time mine. An “ostrich position” will not work and will only create risks of further destabilization across the region and beyond. Russia is ready to do what it takes to prevent such a scenario.
Thank you.
