In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NY Post List

UNITED NATIONS GATE, June 10 – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on 27 March 2018 lavished praise on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman now accused with respect to Jamal Khashoggi, accepting a $930 million check from the Saudis and UAE, with not a word of the Saudi led bombing campaign that has killed civilians and caused cholera in Yemen.

 On June 10 the UN Security Council under Kuwaiti "leadership" issued a statement beginning "The Members of the Security Council underlined their full support for Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen (the Special Envoy), Martin Griffiths, and called on the parties to engage constructively and continuously with the Special Envoy.  The members commended the efforts of the Special Envoy to support the parties to implement the Stockholm Agreement and to promote a political solution in Yemen.       The members of the Security Council noted positively the initial progress achieved by the parties towards phase one of the redeployment of forces in Hodeidah, as reported by the Special Envoy on 15 May 2019. They urged the parties to take the necessary next steps, in accordance with the agreed concept of operations (CONOPS), for the full implementation of the Hodeidah Agreement.     The members of the Security Council reiterated their call on the parties to continue broader implementation of the Stockholm Agreement, including full adherence to the ceasefire in Hodeidah governorate, as well as the finalisation of arrangements for the Prisoner Exchange Agreement and the statement of understanding on Taiz.         The members of the Security Council underlined the need for the UN Mission in support of the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) to be fully deployed as swiftly as possible and reiterated their call on the parties, as set out in resolution 2452 (2019), to ensure the unhindered and expeditious movement into and within Yemen of UNMHA personnel and equipment. Noting that a substantial number of entry permits were waiting to be issued for access to Houthi-controlled areas, they called on the parties to give all necessary support and assistance to UNMHA... The members of the Security Council condemned the attacks on oil pumping facilities in the cities of Al Dawadmi and Afif in Riyadh Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 14 May, for which the Houthis claimed responsibility. They underlined that such attacks posed a serious national security threat to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as a wider threat to regional security, and also threaten to undermine the UN-led political process."

 Earlier on June 10, cravenly Guterres has sent Rosemary DiCarlo to meet with sleepy Hadi: "The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, met today with H.E. Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi, President of the Republic of Yemen, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, President Hadi and Ms. DiCarlo discussed the work of the Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, the way forward for implementing the Stockholm Agreement and for returning to dialogue to reach a political solution to the wider conflict in Yemen based on the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and its Implementation Mechanism, the National Dialogue Conference outcomes and all relevant Security Council resolutions. The discussions were productive, with Ms. DiCarlo thanking President Hadi for his Government’s commitment to the full implementation of the Stockholm Agreement. The next briefing to the Security Council on Yemen will take place on 17 June 2019."

  Consider this on May 26 from UNICEF's Henrietta Fore who has refused to make even the UN's minimal public financial disclosure: "Seven children between the ages of 4 and 14 were killed on Friday in an attack on the Mawiyah district, in the southern Yemeni city of Taiz.  “This attack brings to 27 the number of children killed and injured in a recent escalation of violence near Sanaa and in Taiz over the past 10 days. These are only the numbers that the United Nations has been able to confirm; actual numbers are likely to be even higher.  “Nowhere is safe for children in Yemen. The conflict is haunting them in their homes, schools and playgrounds.  “We, once again, urge all warring parties in Yemen and those who have influence over them to protect children at all times and keep them out of harm’s way. Attacks on civilian infrastructure must stop and calls for peace in Yemen must be heeded.” How can an American UN official refuse financial disclosure? A fish rots from the head.

  Similarly, exiled puppet "president" Hadi is saying he won't deal with middle of the road UN envoy Griffiths unless Guterres gives him, like MBS, assurances. What has led to such perceived weakness of Guterres that even Hadi can do this? Well, not only did Guterres accept the PNG-ing of his envoy to Somalia - he then threw the envoy Nicholas Haysom under the bus, telling staff Haysom was "impolite" to sign a letter about human rights to the Somali government.

 Inner City Press exclusively publishes audio of this, here, video here, because UN staff disgusted by Guterres' sell out of human rights and of them are exclusively providing information to Inner City Press, which Guterres had roughed up and banned now for 325 days and counting.

Given that development, leaders even more propped up than Hadi will do the same. Guterres is killing what remains of the UN's credibility. #DumpGuterresToTryToSaveTheUN.

 Back on May 15 for the UNSC's Yemen meeting NRC's Mohamed Abdi  “As the UN Security Council meets today to discuss the situation in Yemen, governments funding and supporting this war must maintain pressure on conflict parties to fully implement the Stockholm agreement, including deployment of all monitors needed to oversee the ceasefire.  While we welcome fresh talks between the government of Yemen and Ansar Allah on sharing port revenues and paying public workers, conflict rages on in many parts of the country. In Al Dahle civilians remain trapped by the clashes unable to flee to safety, the main road supplying food from Aden in the South to the capital Sana’a remains cut off by the fighting. Civilians in Taiz live under the daily threat of sniper fire. In Hajjah, fighting threatens to cut of the city’s main water supply and access to the public hospital, and heavy air strikes continue to displace families...”  Guterres is on a junket to Fiji, with his MOUs with MBS in place, corrupt. On 17 April 2019, the UN Security Council put out a Press Statement. But what success could the UN have, when its Secretary General continues to have a memorandum of understanding with MBS, and refuses to answer any questions about it, preferring to extend his Saudi-like ban on the Press that asks? See here. Here's the beginning of the UNSC press statement: "The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern that four months after the agreements reached by the Government of Yemen and the Houthis in Stockholm, those agreements have not yet been implemented. They reiterated their endorsement of the Stockholm Agreement, circulated as document S/2018/1134, and reiterated their call for it to be implemented without delay.     The members of the Security Council underlined their full support for the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen and the Chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) and welcomed their tireless efforts to support implementation of the Stockholm Agreement.     The members of the Security Council welcomed the agreement by the Government of Yemen and the Houthis to the Concept of Operations for Phase 1 of redeployments under the Hodeidah Agreement. They called on both parties to engage constructively with the Special Envoy and the Chair of the RCC to swiftly agree on local security force arrangements and the Concept of Operations for Phase 2 of redeployments." Guterres is taking the UN ever lower.On February 7 Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric put out another rosy note on Yemen, no mention of the Saudi and Emirati cover up of bombing MSF's cholera treatment center (then again, Guterres has not paid a penny for the UN killing 10,000 in Haiti with cholera). Now on February 17 this from Guterres' office of the spokesperson: "The members of the Redeployment Coordination Committee met for their fourth joint meeting from 16 to 17 February in Hudaydah city. They made important progress on planning for the redeployment of forces as envisaged in the Hudaydah Agreement.     The Government of Yemen representatives again crossed the frontline in order to attend the meeting for which they should be commended. After lengthy but constructive discussions facilitated by the RCC Chair, the parties reached an agreement on Phase 1 of the mutual redeployment of forces.     The parties also agreed, in principle, on Phase 2 of the mutual redeployment, pending additional consultations within their respective leadership. The next RCC is expected to convene within a week with the aim to finalize an agreement on Phase 2." Unanswered four days later by Guterres' spokesman Stephan Dujarric are questions including this one: "February 13-3: On Saudi Arabia and press freedom, what is the SG's comment and action on that a top Saudi official who was fired after being accused of playing a role in the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi continues to serve as an informal royal adviser: Saud al-Qahtani, who previously served in effect as the right-hand man to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman? What is the status of the MOU with MBS' MiSK Foundation of the SG's Youth Adviser?" On January 31 the UN Security Council held a meeting on Yemen, but it was closed-door and afterward only pro-Coalition Kuwait spoke on camera.  Guterres himself is no paragon of  transparency and anti-corruption and press freedom. Beyond Guterres' MOU with MBS, his Global Communicator Alison Smale has appointed Maher Nasser, who blocks the Press on Twitter, as chief promoter of the UAE's Expo 2020 Dubai, see Inner City Press exclusive here. Now on February 5, from Guterres' Office of the Spokesperson - not signed by lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric- this: "Houthi and Government of Yemen representatives of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) continued to meet on 4 and 5 February aboard a United Nations vessel berthed in the Port of Hudaydah. The parties have engaged in long and intense discussions both yesterday and today in order to find mutually acceptable solutions and associated timelines for the implementation of the Hudaydah provisions in the Stockholm Agreement. The RCC Chair, General Patrick Cammaert, commended both parties for demonstrating good-will and engaging constructively together to overcome trust issues and to find viable solutions that would eventually demilitarize the ports and city of Hudaydah and facilitate life-saving humanitarian operations.     Weeks of sustained engagement by the RCC Chair and his team are beginning to pay off. Today, the Parties are closer to agreeing modalities for phase one redeployment than they were six weeks ago.  They are grappling with the complexities of disengaging forces in close proximity of each other and the gradual redeployment of heavy weapons, armor, and infantry. The Parties are fully aware of the international spotlight on their efforts to implement the Hudaydah agreement and its implications for the broader peace process for Yemen.     The parties will continue discussions tomorrow under the auspices of Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, who assumed his duties as RCC Chair and Head of UNMHA on the evening of 5 February." Cammaert, who covered up for the UN in South Sudan, is out. On January 29 not Guterres' murky UN but the Saudi Press Agency announced that “The Secretary-General of the United Nations expressed his gratitude for the Kingdom’s support in pushing for positive results in the dialogue between the Yemeni parties." Meanwhile, from Washington DC on January 30, the day after Sen Jeff Merkley against raised the Saudis' activities in Oregon, this: "Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) renewed their efforts in the Senate and House Wednesday to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen pursuant to the War Powers Resolution. 

***

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

UN Office: S-303, UN, NY 10017 USA

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Search innercitypress.com  Search WWW (censored?)

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2019 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for