Statement by Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Federation Dmitry Polyanskiy at a UN Security Council briefing on Yemen
Mr. President,
We thank Special Envoy of the Secretary-General Martin Griffiths and Assistant Secretary-General Ursula Mueller for an all-encompassing review of the political and humanitarian situation in Yemen.
As we heard from our briefers, the situation in Yemen raises profound concerns, especially with regard to humanitarian aspects. Despite efforts made both by the UN and via bilateral channels of member states, implementation of the Stockholm agreement is stalling.
In light of this, we consider the agreement signed by the recognized government of Yemen and the Southern Transitional Council in Riyadh on 5 November to be an important step towards consolidation of Yemeni community. It is a positive example of elaborating mutually acceptable solutions and compromises that present-day reality in Yemen asks for.
We would like to highlight the mediator role of Saudi Arabia that made a significant contribution to achieving the aforementioned inter-Yemeni agreements, and assumed functions of monitoring the course of their implementation. We also commend constructive approaches of the UAE to this process.
Sides to the conflict in Yemen prove capable of coming to a common ground. We hope this ability will promote swift political settlement of this protracted military and political conflict.
In this regard, we support mediator efforts SESG Griffiths takes in order to make sides to the conflict understand futility of a forceful solution, achieve universal ceasefire and develop confidence-building measures. Ever since the start of the conflict in Yemen Russia has advocated for its political and diplomatic solution through an inclusive dialogue of all Yemeni forces without exception. We continue to provide assistance, i.a. via contacts with all political forces of the country and the interested stakeholders, whereby we drive them towards constructive approaches and encourage rejection of forceful solutions.
Chances remain to achieve progress in comprehensive political settlement in Yemen that the Special Envoy is working at. The international community should set forth collective steps to transfer the conflict to a political track and provide the required assistance to millions of Yemenis who are in dire need of help, starve, have no access to medical services and medicines.
We call on all sides to commit to universal de-escalation which will make it possible to get down to curing the humanitarian disaster in the country, the scales of which ASG Mueller addressed today. Humanitarian assistance to Yemen should be a priority track of our work. Let me stress: humanitarian assistance from abroad must be provided to the entire population of the republic on an indiscriminate basis, regardless of who controls this or that particular area. We stand for unconditional abidance by the international humanitarian law and ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access to all regions of the country.
Mr. President,
We have to say that armed confrontation in Yemen works towards terrorist groups strengthening their positions in the country. We know too well from the Syrian experience that there is no time to lose. Militants should be combatted now. The sooner parties in Yemen combine efforts to counter terrorist threat, the fewer chances radicals will have to keep their positions.
In conclusion, we would like to remind of Security Council resolution 598 that tasked the UN Secretary-General in cooperation with the regional States to develop confidence and security architecture in the region. In this context, the Russian collective security concept for the Persian Gulf becomes even more relevant, as it aims at conflict relief, building of confidence and control measures. Once again, we call upon all the interested sides to study this document and join the collective work aimed at search for mutually acceptable solutions to the regional problems. We need to invest our joint efforts in improving the environment that should facilitate the work of UN Special Representatives as they focus on conflict settlement.
Thank you.
