Alwaght- Saudi Arabia has rejected Russia’s amendments to a UN
Security Council (UNSC) draft resolution that would apply an all-inclusive arms
embargo on all warring parties in the conflict in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN Abdallah
al-Mouallimi said after a closed emergency UNSC meeting on Saturday that “there
is little point in putting an embargo on the whole country.”
Mouallimi added that he “hopes” Moscow would not veto a draft
submitted to the UNSC by the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council that urges an
arms embargo only on the Ansarullah fighters of the Houthi movement.
The Russian draft also called for a humanitarian halt in the
deadly Saudi airstrikes against Yemen to allow the evacuation of foreign
nationals in the country.
In addition, the draft resolution voiced serious alarm at “the
significant and rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen, in
particular the dire situation of civilians including diplomatic and consular
personnel and other foreigners.”
Saudi Arabia is continuing its military offensive against Yemen
despite calls by the international community, including the Red Cross, for an
immediate halt in the attacks to provide humanitarian assistance.
Saudi military aircraft continued on Saturday to hit more
targets in Yemen and airdropping by parachute wooden crates of weapons and
ammunition, including rifles, to militants fighting in the country.
Saudi Arabia launched the airstrikes against Yemen on March 26
in a bid to restore power to the fugitive president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a
close ally of Riyadh.
