UN's new resolution on Yemen sanctions fails to meet China's concerns: envoy

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/2/26 9:17:43 Last Updated: 2020/2/26 7:17:43

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks on the situation regarding the COVID-19 at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 24, 2020. Guterres on Monday praised China's contribution to the global fight against COVID-19, noting that the Chinese are making efforts for humanity. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/KEYSTONE/Pool via Xinhua)


The UN Security Council's newly passed resolution that extends Yemen financial and travel ban sanctions failed to meet China's concerns, a Chinese envoy said Tuesday.

The Council on Tuesday authorized a one-year extension of the asset freeze and travel ban imposed in 2014 on individuals or entities threatening peace, security and stability in Yemen. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 13 in favour to none against, with abstentions of China and Russia.

"The Chinese delegation proposed many amendments, but the final text failed to meet its concerns," said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, at a Council meeting.

China could not, therefore, vote in favour of its adoption, Wu said, describing the resolution's requirement that the panel of experts in Yemen collect information on commercially available components that can be used for drones and improvised explosive devices as excessively broad.

According to the resolution, the panel of experts in Yemen are requested to collect information on the commercially available components which have been used by individuals or entities threatening peace to assemble unmanned aerial vehicles, water-borne improvised explosive devices, and other weapon systems.

The text also makes unnecessary amendments to designation criteria, he noted, emphasizing that the work of the sanctions committee should be more constructive.

Also speaking at the meeting, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said that the international community must focus on resolving the crisis and not on pinning blame.

Posted in: MID-EAST

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