New York City: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the United Nations called on the Security Council on Monday to take strong action against the Houthis if Iran-backed militias continue to “block and reject a peaceful solution” to the conflict in Yemen.
Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil said that designating the group as a terrorist organization had become an urgent demand among people in the region, “who want to live in peace.”
His comments came during a meeting of the Security Council to discuss the latest developments in Yemen.
Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy in the country, who briefed the Council from Sana’a, highlighted the recent “intensification of regional and international diplomatic activity to resolve the conflict” and noted Saudi Arabia and Oman’s efforts in this regard. Reiterated his “appreciation” for the efforts. ,
“We are seeing a possible step change in the trajectory of this eight-year conflict,” Grundberg told the council. He added that “the ongoing dialogue is a possibility that should not be wasted and it calls for responsible actions.”
However, he cautioned that “without an agreement that includes a shared approach to moving forward, uncertainty will persist, and with it the risk of troop escalation and a return to full-blown conflict.”
The Swedish diplomat urged all parties involved in the conflict to make the most of the opportunity for dialogue provided by the pause in large-scale fighting and to “work swiftly towards a shared vision with concrete, actionable steps”.
Alwasil commended Grundberg for his “tireless, unique and quality efforts to ensure peace in Yemen”. He also reiterated his country’s support for the efforts of the UN’s humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, “to alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people.”
The Saudi envoy told the council that although the Houthi militias refused to extend a ceasefire agreement signed in October last year, the United Nations – as represented by Grundberg and with the support of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman and with Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council – in continuing its efforts to secure a comprehensive political solution that ends the suffering of the Yemeni people.
“The Houthi militia did not advance the ceasefire for political reasons,” Alwassil said. “He reneged on his commitment at the last minute and agreed on most items.
He proposed new demands, including paying militiamen’s salaries in US dollars. He refused to implement his commitment to deposit the profits of the Al-Hodeidah port in the Central Bank so that they could pay the salaries of all Yemenis. They did not even lift the siege that has been imposed on Taiz since the coup.
On the other hand, the legitimate government has put the interests of the Yemeni people first, Alwasil said, and has not shied away from its “great humanitarian and national commitments”.
It “did not bar the concessions” it had made, he said, adding, “Sana’a airport continues to operate; commercial and humanitarian flights continue; main ports are operating smoothly and naturally.”
The Houthis, on the other hand, said “spreading terrorist and extremist ideologies in schools, recruiting children, forcibly sending them to fight, besieging the city of Taiz, arbitrarily detaining activists and journalists, killing opposition leaders, continues to violate international laws by doing , Taxing humanitarian work, looting international aid and sending it to those who do not deserve it, including the Houthis themselves, as well as arbitrarily planting mines, leading to the killing and injury of innocent civilians.
Last month, General Michael Berry, who heads the UN mission to support the Hodeidah accord, narrowly escaped a bombing when his armored convoy hit a landmine as he was on his way to dispose of explosives. were traveling with members of the Houthi militia to monitor the
Alwasil said the Houthis also inflict collective punishment on civilian populations, deprive areas outside their control of basic services and amenities, and target natural resource exports, using the profits to pay civil servants and teachers. to be done.
He said that since the coup in 2014, the Houthis have held the Yemeni population hostage and weaponized the dire humanitarian situation in the country in an attempt to blackmail the international community, threatening the security of the wider region and the world.
“They are also targeting neighboring countries (and) deliberately preventing UN observers from observing,” Alvasil said.
“Hodeidah is full of mines (making the port a threat to international peace and security).
Alwasil thanked the US, whose navy last week seized more than 2,100 assault rifles from a ship in the Gulf of Oman that officials believe originated in Iran and were bound for the Houthis.
Alvasil concluded by reiterating that “the coalition states will leave no stone unturned to defend themselves in case of such malicious acts targeting our security and interests in any way. We will respond firmly and firmly.”