By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 20 -- The day before the UN Security Council is scheduled to vote on and adopt a resolution on Yemen which calls for a transition based on the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative providing immunity for President Ali Saleh and his family, the Nobel laureate opposing immunity and the GCC deal met with, among others, Germany's Ambassador.
Afterward a spokesperson of the German UN Mission issued a read out, not unlike the UN Secretary General's office did the day before. This read out did not mention immunity or accountability. Inner City Press called Tawakul Karman's spokespeople, who reaffirmed that she opposes immunity.
A Western Council diplomat who also met with Tawakul Karman told Inner City Press she should have spent her time meeting with, among others, IBSA: India, Brazil and South Africa. Inner City Press asked and was told that she had not met with India.
Still the vote is scheduled for 3 pm on Friday.
Karman on Oct 18, her read out fo German meeting not shown, (c)MRLee
Here is the Germany read-out:
"The German Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Peter Wittig, today received the Yemeni Nobel peace laureate Tawakul Karman at the German Mission.
Ambassador Wittig congratulated Ms. Karman on her award of the Nobel Peace prize and expressed appreciation for her efforts to promote peace and human rights in Yemen.
Ambassador Wittig expressed his government's grave concern about the current political stalemate in Yemen and the ongoing serious violations of human rights. The humanitarian and the economic situation were very worrisome.
Ambassador Wittig outlined the German position on the current situation in Yemen and the ongoing efforts within the United Nations to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. He stressed the need for strong international support for a transitional political process in Yemen that meets the aspirations of the Yemeni people. He emphasized that President Saleh needs to immediatly hand over power, thus allowing for the start of a transitional process based on the initiative by the Golf Cooperation Council. With a view to the scheduled adoption of a Security Council draft resolution on Yemen he emphasized the German governments hope that this strong message by the international community will help to start the transitional political process so urgently needed."
We will have more on this on October 21, when the vote is scheduled. Watch this site.