UN council adopts Russian-backed resolution on Yemen

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a Russian-drafted resolution to continue an arms embargo on Yemen.

The move on Monday followed the rejection of a UK-drafted resolution, which was turned down by a vote of 11 in favor to 2 against (Bolivia, Russian Federation), with two abstentions (China, Kazakhstan).

The UK-drafted text contained language about Iranian "non-compliance" with the UN sanctions against individuals and entities deemed to be engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen.

By the terms of resolution 2402 (in 2018), the council renewed the travel ban and assets-freeze first imposed in resolution 2140 (in 2014) for another year. It extended the panel of experts' mandate until March 2019.

Britain said before the two votes that attacks against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia were unacceptable. It raised concern over the panel's findings that Iran had provided missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles and thus didn't abide by the 2015 UN arms embargo on Yemen.

Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said before the votes that he could not support the UK‑sponsored draft, as he did not agree with its inclusion of unverified information. He said that text would be detrimental to the council and destabilizing to both Yemen and the region.

Ma Zhaoxu, China's UN ambassador, said renewing the targeted sanctions and panel of experts' mandate would "serve the interests" of Yemen and countries in the region.

Ma said Resolution 2402 accomplished that goal and reflected the broadest possible consensus on the council.

The deteriorating situation in Yemen raised deep concerns, requiring the international community to support efforts to get negotiations back on track, he said.

He said a political settlement was "the only way" to achieve lasting peace in Yemen and called on all parties to work towards a solution.