On
Yemen, ICP
Asks UN Aid
Chief of
Staff,
Cholera,
Sa'ada
Ambulances
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, June
25 -- The UN
Secretariat's
bungling of
Yemen
mediation has
become ever
more clear,
according to
multiple
sources and
documents
exclusively
seen by Inner
City Press,
see below.
On June 24,
Inner City
Press asked
the UN's
replacement
envoy Ismail
Ould Cheikh
Ahmed about
the request by
the Houthis
and others to
meet not with
him but with
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon, who
did not meet
with them in
Geneva.
Transcribed
here.
On June 25
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq to
confirm
receipt of the
letter and if
Ban will meet
them. Haq said
Cheikh Ahmed
is the envoy,
and Ban's
headed to San
Francisco. The
UN Security
Council issued
a Press
Statement, here.
Also
on June 25,
Inner City
Press asked
new UN aid
chief Stephen
O'Brien three
questions
about Yemen:
cholera, the
destruction of
ambulances in
Sa'ada and
about
international
staff. Video
here.
O'Brien
replied that
cholera is a
risk; he had
no information
on WHO it was
that destroyed
the ambulances
in Sa'ada (we
can guess.) On
international
staff, which
the UN
evacuated
earlier, he
spoke of a
rise from 17
to 70, with
the goal of
getting to
200. He would
not say if
they are
anywhere in
the country
outside of
Sana'a, citing
security. But
at least he
spoke - the Free UN Coalition for Access thanked
him.
Here's
from the June
24 stakeout,
as fast
transcribed by
Inner City
Press:
Inner
City Press: On
the parties in
Sanaa
requesting to
meet the
Secretary
General –
what’s your
response?
Cheikh
Ahmed: "This
question was
raised during
our discussion
with the
Houthis, the
GPC and their
allies. The
Secretary
General had
delayed twice
his travel in
order to be
there for the
parties. We
have sent
twice a plane
from Sanaa
which the
delegation
from Sana'a
could not
take..
Therefore the
Secretary
General had a
major
engagement,
which was the
election of
the new
president of
the General
Assembly which
takes place
only once a
year , and he
had to attend
it. But the
Secretary
General will
continue being
engaged on
this."
The ceremonial
elevation of
the President
of the GA who
will take over
in September
was not an
election at
all - no vote
was taken. At
the top,
Cheikh Ahmed
said (again,
as fast
transcribed by
Inner City
Press)
"I
just briefed
the Security
Council on the
latest
developments
in Yemen, with
a particular
focus on the
Geneva
Consultation.
I informed the
Council that
the Geneva
intra-Yemeni
Consultations
are a
milestone...
Despite the
raging battles
and ongoing
violence, and
the dramatic
humanitarian
situation,
Yemenis
accepted the
Secretary
General’s
invitation and
participated
in the
consultations.
"The
personal
presence of
the Secretary
General was an
indication of
the primary
importance
attached by
the United
Nations and
the
international
community, and
in particular
the Secretary
General
himself on the
Yemeni
situation. I
deeply regret
the deep
division
between the
parties and
the lack of
compromise
that prevented
an agreement
that was
within reach.
The holding of
the Geneva
consultation
was itself a
great
achievement in
light of the
extreme
violence
unleashed in
Yemen.
"While
the government
came to Geneva
to seek the
implementation
of Security
Council
Resolution
2216, the
government
acted in a
positive and
constructive
spirit. Both
sides showed
signs of
constructive
engagement.
There is an
emerging
common ground
upon which we
can build to
achieve a
ceasefire
coupled with a
withdrawal.
"While
we pursue a
long term
cessation of
violence, I
call on all
relevant
parties to
agree without
delay to the
humanitarian
truce,
especially
during
Ramadan. We
should not
forget that
Yemenis are
living under
dire
conditions and
it pains me to
witness this
ongoing
suffering. I
call on all
stakeholders
to spare no
effort to help
us achieve a
temporary
respite for
the Yemeni
people.
"I am
aware that
reviving the
political
process will
not be easy.
The Secretary
General and I
have been
clear from the
outset that
this
consultation
was only a
stepping stone
towards the
long inclusive
political
process. All
the parties
affirmed their
commitment to
remain engaged
with the UN in
search of a
peaceful
solution of
the conflict.
I have no
doubt that it
is possible to
build upon
this positive
spirit in the
forthcoming
consultation.
"I
strongly
believe that
the UN
facilitated
intra-Yemeni
consultations
offer the best
chance for
moving towards
a
de-escalation
of the crisis
and a return
to the
political
process. I
personally
believe there
is no military
answer to this
conflict. I
therefore
remain
committed and
will spare no
effort to
achieve a
cease fire and
the swift
return to a
peaceful,
inclusive
political
process."
Before
the meeting,
UK Ambassador
Matthew
Rycroft
stopped and
told the press
of the danger
of famine in
the country,
and of his
hope for a
Yemen Press
Statement from
the UNSC, in
which the UK
is the
"penholder" on
Yemen. Periscope
video here,
replay
including on
desktop for 24
hours.
Inner
City Press was
digging into
the letter
from political
parties IN
Yemen, asking
for a meeting
with Ban
Ki-moon, NOT
with
replacement
envoy Cheikh
Ahmed. These
parties,
including but
not limited to
the Houthis,
were delayed
in getting to
Geneva so that
they could not
meet with Ban
(who while
there DID meet
with a
US-listed Al
Qaeda
terrorist).
While some are
sure to argue
that Ban now
meeting with
the parties
would undercut
Cheikh Ahmed,
others point
out the the
underlying
resolution
speaks of the
Secretary
General's Good
Offices
INCLUDING his
Envoy. The
envoy is not
the only game
in town - nor,
given his lack
of disclosure,
raised by
Inner City
Press, should
he be. We'll
have more on
this.
, 
