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By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NY Post List

UNITED NATIONS GATE, February 7 – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on March 27 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 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). Here it is: "The members of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) met for a third time between 3 and 6 February aboard a UN vessel berthed in the inner harbour of Hudaydah port. In discussions facilitated by the RCC Chair, the parties worked together constructively to resolve outstanding issues related to the mutual redeployment of forces and the opening of humanitarian corridors.     Nevertheless, challenges remain, not least the complex nature of the current frontlines. To help overcome these issues, the RCC Chair tabled a proposal that proved acceptable, in principle, to both parties to move forward on the implementation of the Hudaydah Agreement. A preliminary compromise was agreed, pending further consultation by the parties with their respective leaders. The RCC Chair expects to reconvene the RCC within the next week, with the aim of finalizing details for redeployments.     Both parties have given a firm commitment to observe and enhance the ceasefire in the interim. 7 February 2019." 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. 

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