Statement by First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy at UNSC briefing on the situation in Yemen
Mr.President,
We thank SRSG H.Grundberg and OCHA Coordination Director R.Rajasingham for their substantive briefings.
We closely follow the developments in Yemen, where deadly confrontation has been lasting for more than 7 years, with no end to it in sight. The political process under the Stockholm and the Riyadh Agreements is stalled. In parallel to it, we see widespread escalation of violence and intensification of hostilities on all fronts, including the provinces of Marib and Shabwa. Stagnation of the political process is approaching the point of no return, upon passing of which it would be impossible to put together the fragmented Yemeni statehood. Against this backdrop, the international community needs to admit the reality and realize that the sides dug their heels in and are not ready to relaunch direct talks under UN auspices.
In this context, SRSG Grundberg’s mediator efforts aimed at bringing the parties to the Yemeni conflict together at the negotiations table are will stay fruitless.
We have heard your assessments, Mr.Grundberg, especially regarding your plans, and we stand ready to support your efforts.
Yet obviously, it becomes impossible to proceed within the existing framework of the Yemeni settlement, which is UNSC resolution 2216. Adopted in 2015, the resolution has nothing to do with the current situation on the ground – at the Yemeni combat theatre. The political landscape and the balance of forces in Yemen has changed significantly, and resolution 2216 does not reflect the new reality.
In this regard, we believe it is high time UNSC members revisited the basis for Yemen’s political settlement while preserving the central role of UN mediation and constructive contributions of regional states. This is the only way we can support H.Grundberg in deeds rather than just in words and help him draft a new roadmap for settlement, that should be able to reconcile numerous opposing stakeholders of the Yemeni internal political conflict.
We call on UNSC members to think of solving this long overdue problem in order to rechannel the developments onto a peaceful political track and provide the much-needed help to millions Yemenis who require urgent humanitarian assistance. We believe our shared goal is to ensure comprehensive and lasting settlement of the numerous problems that Yemen is faced with and that also impact its neighbor-states.
Unfortunately, we must say that our Western colleagues yet again prove ready to easily sacrifice the Council’s unity on the issue of Yemen and use the “language of sanctions” while being guided by their own selfish interests and rejecting an opportunity to find any solutions. We repeat that UNSC sanctions must serve the interests of political process in Yemen rather than build up pressure on certain sides to conflict.
We are particularly concerned over the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen. As we heard from Mr. Rajasingham, the situation is deteriorating daily and assuming characteristic features of a large-scale humanitarian disaster.
Attacks on civil facilities also raise major concern. We strongly call on the opposing sides to strictly abide by the international humanitarian law provisions, promptly and fully reject combat operations that devastate the non-military infrastructure and lead to casualties.
Thank you.
