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UN Security Council welcomes new Yemeni transition agreement

29 November 2011 04:35 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The UN Security Council said in a press statement released here Monday that it welcomes the Nov. 23 agreement that aims to facilitate a peaceful shift of power in Yemen, a country troubled by months of upheaval and conflict, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The statement was read to reporters outside council chambers by Jose Filipe Moraes Cabral, permanent representative of Portugal to the UN and November’s Security Council president.

Earlier in the day, the council had held consultations on the situation in Yemen, hearing briefings from Jamal Benomar, the UN secretary-general’s special adviser for Yemen as well as Philippe Lazzarini, the deputy director for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination and Response Division.

"The members of the Security Council commended the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and of the UN’s special adviser, Jamal Benomar," said Cabral. "They welcomed the agreement by the parties, on the basis of the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, as well as the signing of the initiative by the president of Yemen, and the signing by the parties of the implementation mechanism, thus beginning the period of peaceful transition of power, as called for in Security Council resolution 2014."

The GCC-brokered agreement represents a notable step in the crisis that has gone on for 10 months in Yemen, since protesters began calling for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh and have continued to clash with Saleh’s supporters. In the agreement, the president has agreed to step down within 30 days and hand his power over to his deputy. The agreement also resulted in the naming of a new prime minister, Mohamed Basindwa, and newly scheduled presidential elections, now slated to take place on Feb. 21, 2012.

Cabral said that the council expects the parties to the agreement to honor the timetable set out within its text.

"The members of the Security Council agreed that the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative and implementation mechanism must now be implemented in a serious, transparent, and timely manner, and in a spirit of inclusion and reconciliation," he said.

Announcement of the new deal in Yemen has not stopped the violence there, as clashes have continued to occur between Saleh’ s supporters and those who would like the leader to face prosecution.

Cabral said the council is committed to the unity and territorial integrity of Yemen.

"They urged all the parties to reject violence, refrain from any further provocations, and to fully implement Security Council resolution 2014," he said. "The members of the Security Council reiterated that all those responsible for violence, human rights violations and abuses should be held accountable."

The council deplored the Nov. 24 violence in Sana’a, capital of Yemen, that reportedly led to the deaths of five people.

According to the statement, Cabral said that the members of the council have emphasized the importance of gaining increased and unimpeded humanitarian access to the country.

"The members of the Security Council also called on all the Yemeni parties, to work with the increasing support of the UN, international community, and the GCC countries, immediately towards achieving peace, stability and reconciliation, as well as alleviating the humanitarian and economic situation, in Yemen," he said.

The council will hear another update on the situation in Yemen within 30 days.