The United Arab Emirates told the UN Security Council on Friday that the liberation of Yemen’s key port city of Hodeidah from the Houthi militia is critical to re-engage them in UN-backed peace talks.
It called on the international community to put pressure on Houthis "immediately" in order to cut off the supply of arms provided by Iran to them "in direct violation of Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231."
“Iran provides Houthis with some of the most sophisticated weaponry and know-how ever obtained by a non-state actor,” the UAE said in a letter addressed to the Security Council and UN Security General Antonio Guterres.
This weaponry includes “ballistic missiles, guided anti-ship missiles and kamikaze aerial drones along with hundreds of thousands of landmines and improvised explosive devices that are devastating Yemeni civilians across the country,” the letter of which Asharq Al-Awsat has received a copy added.
UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN Lana Nusseibeh highlighted that previous letters were sent to the Security Council by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash and Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimi.
Also, in a letter addressed to President of the UN Security Council Nikki Haley, with a copy to Guterres, Nusseibeh said the Houthis’ "no-show" rebuke to the UN and to a meaningful political process is a serious setback and a significant disappointment for the Yemeni people and the Saudi-led Coalition, which is eager to find an end to the conflict.
She reiterated and reinforced her country's commitment to a UN-led political process, notwithstanding the Houthis’ decision to disregard the Geneva talks, organized by UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths.
“Unfortunately, this is only the latest Houthi broken promise to re-engage in a political process since they derailed the political transition process in 2014, resorted to violence and triggered the humanitarian and political crisis faced by Yemen nowadays," she added.
However, the Coalition remains committed to “supporting the efforts of the Special Envoy and the UN-led political solution in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, GCC initiative and its implementation mechanism and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference.”
“The Coalition is ready to support new talks whenever the Special Envoy can ensure the Houthis’ meaningful participation. We hope he can achieve this soon,” she stressed.
