Al Houthi-Saleh bid to form political council sparks GCC concern
It is a clear violation of resolutions of Arab League, OIC and Security Council, Al Zayani says
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) yesterday expressed its ‘deep concern’ over an agreement signed by Al Houthis and the followers of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to form a political council in Yemen.
The Al Houthis and the Saleh group claimed that the alleged council would enjoy all political, military, security, economic and social powers, and management of state affairs, Saudi News Agency (SPA) has said.
GCC Secretary-General Dr. Abdul Latif Al Zayani said that the agreement “is a clear violation of the resolutions of the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Security Council Resolution 2216, the initiative of the Gulf and its executive mechanism and the outputs of the comprehensive national dialogue.”
“The GCC member-states see this step as placing obstacles on the way to a political agreement that could end the suffering of the people of Yemen, who look forward to political consultations hosted by Kuwait, with the hope and anticipation of restoring the peace, security, stability and unity of Yemen and to achieve the aspirations of the Yemeni people,” he added.
Al Zayani emphasised that the GCC states feel such steps were undermining the international community’s efforts to find a political solution through consultations in accordance with the agreed terms of reference represented in the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, the outputs of the national dialogue and UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
The Saudi-led Arab coalition battling Iranbacked Al Houthi militants in support of Yemen’s UN-backed government has denied accusations from rights groups that it is blocking aid and goods bound for the conflict-scarred country.
“The coalition is not imposing a siege or an economic boycott on Yemeni territory,” the Riyadh-based coalition said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.
The coalition “is fulfilling its duties towards implementing UN resolutions that aim to prevent weapons and ammunitions” reaching Yemen, it added.
Rights groups have repeatedly accused the coalition, which controls air and sea access to Yemen, of preventing basic goods from reaching the country, especially in territories controlled by Iranbacked Al Houthi rebels.
The statement named Human Rights Watch and Parisbased Doctors Without Borders in particular for “belittling the efforts of coalition forces and their positive role in delivering humanitarian aid and facilitating access for commercial goods and fuel products”.
“Coalition forces give immediate and regular permits to all aid ships to reach all Yemeni ports, without being inspected,” the statement said.
As for commercial shipments, it said that teams from the UN, the coalition and Yemen authorities inspect them, insisting that 1,462 permits have been granted so far, including for ships heading to the rebel-controlled Red Sea port of Hudaida.