The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution calling on the Houthi militia in Yemen to immediately stop attacks on ships.
The resolution also calls on all countries to respect the arms embargo imposed on the Iran-backed Houthi group.
The resolution, drawn up by the United States and Japan and adopted by the Council with a majority of 11 members and 4 abstentions, “calls for the Houthis to immediately put an end to attacks” that hinder international trade and undermine the rights and freedoms of navigation as well as peace and security in the region.
The Council also called on the Houthis to release the Galaxy Leader vessel and its crew, which were arrested on November 19.
The countries that abstained from the vote are Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique.
The main clause of the resolution establishes the right of UN member states, in accordance with international law, to “defend their ships against attacks, including those which undermine the rights and freedoms of navigation”.
This provision constitutes implicit support for Operation Prosperity Sentinel, a US-led multinational maritime task force that defends commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from Houthi missile and drone attacks.
US Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: “The threat to navigation rights and freedoms in the Red Sea represents a global challenge that requires a global response.”
The US ambassador also attacked Iran’s “financial and material” support for the Houthis and said: “We cannot ignore the source of the problem… We know that Iran is deeply involved in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red zone”. Sea”, inviting Tehran to “choose”.
For his part, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, leader of the Houthi movement in Yemen, said that the United Nations resolution on safe navigation in the Red Sea is a political game and that it is America that violates international law.
Russian objections
During the Security Council session, Russia denounced this alliance through its ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia.
The Russian ambassador said: “We cannot help but be concerned about the current situation in the Red Sea… but we are concerned that the United States and its allies prefer, as often happens, to choose a unilateral solution by force “.
The resolution adopted by the Security Council notes the “widespread” violations of the arms embargo imposed on the Houthis, recalls the need for all member states to “respect” their “obligations” in this regard and “condemns the supply of weapons” to the Houthis , close to Iran.
The latest report published in November by UN Security Council experts tasked with monitoring the arms embargo confirmed that the Houthis “are significantly enhancing their land and maritime military capabilities, including submarines, as well as their arsenal of missiles and drones, in violation of the embargo regulations.”
The draft resolution finally calls for “addressing the roots” of the situation, “including conflicts that contribute to regional tensions”.
Russia, which proposed three amendments to the draft resolution, all rejected, expressly wanted to add that among the factors contributing to the tensions is “the conflict in the Gaza Strip”.
2024-01-11 01:26:02
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