By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 4 -- On Yemen, Inner City Press on October 4 asked UK Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft how his country reviews its arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other members of the Saudi-led Coalition that has been bombing Sanaa, Saada and elsewhere.Beyond the Vine video here, UK transcript here:
UNITED NATIONS, October 4 -- On Yemen, Inner City Press on October 4 asked UK Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft how his country reviews its arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other members of the Saudi-led Coalition that has been bombing Sanaa, Saada and elsewhere.Beyond the Vine video here, UK transcript here:
Inner City Press: Q: On Yemen, what’s the process for the UK to review its sale of weapons to the Saudi-led coalition? That seems to be an issue. What would it take to stop that flow?
Amb Rycroft: The UK has a very clear set of arms control policies in place, and they are of a very high standard indeed, and we use those to make sure that we are satisfied with any arm sales to anywhere around the world, including in relation to Yemen.
Inner City Press: But the airstrikes on MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres), did that trigger some sort of second review?
Amb Rycroft: Well, we continue to look at all of our policies in relation to Yemen. We provide political support to the Saudi-led coalition, we are not members of the coalition, and whenever there is any one of these incidents, or allegations of incidents, then we are the first to call on the Saudis themselves to be following up and investigating.
Rycroft began with this, about the Human Rights Council session and resolution:
Amb Rycroft: on Yemen I just wanted to reassure you that the UK did not block a text from the Human Rights Council in Geneva last week calling for an investigation. In fact, the UK worked very hard to get as strong a text as possible, and we got consensus. And we’re very glad that it was agreed by consensus.
But it was weak.
The UN Secretariat of Ban Ki-moon's bungling of Yemen mediation has become ever more clear, according to multiple sources and documents exclusively seen by Inner City Press, see below. And see this Vine, & this.
Now after a UAE warship has been hit - and sunk - off the Yemeni coast near Mocha, Inner City Press on October 3 asked Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman for a comment, and if the UN knows if it was a warship or as claimed an aid ship. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: on Yemen, I wanted to know if the UN system has any comment or knowledge of this reported sinking of a UAE (United Arab Emirates) warship. Some are saying it was an aid convoy. The Houthis' side is saying it was a warship enforcing a blockade on them. Since it's a pretty high-profile incident that has the potential to result in reprisals, what's the UN's understanding of what the ship was? Was it an aid ship, or was it part of the military operations of the Saudi-led coalition?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we're aware of the latest reports, but we'll need to get some further information about the nature of this vessel before we make any particular comment.
Question: Given the UN's role in the humanitarian operation in Yemen, do countries like the UAE coordinate with UN if they're, as they say, moving medical supplies from one place to another, or is it just, everyone goes it alone?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, as you know, we do have a verification and inspection mechanism that's designed to help expedite the process by which aid gets into Yemen, and so we do expect that countries will use that mechanism.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we're aware of the latest reports, but we'll need to get some further information about the nature of this vessel before we make any particular comment.
Question: Given the UN's role in the humanitarian operation in Yemen, do countries like the UAE coordinate with UN if they're, as they say, moving medical supplies from one place to another, or is it just, everyone goes it alone?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, as you know, we do have a verification and inspection mechanism that's designed to help expedite the process by which aid gets into Yemen, and so we do expect that countries will use that mechanism.
Five hours later Inner City Press asked Vitaly Churkin of Russia, president of the Security Council for October, about it. He said there is a draft Press Statement pending but there's a need to check more. He added that the UN is a cynical place, "in some places they want to whip it up, in other places they want to hush it up."
Churkin noted Russia abstained on the last resolution - and said that the UK blocked an investigation because they sold $6 billion in weapons, the US is involved too.
(Churkin also said it is Eastern Europe's turn to be Secretary General, and that Russia does want more posts -- Inner City Press said DPA -- and that there will be a meeting on Western Sahara on October 18, and on Burundi at some still undefined date.)
While awaiting more, we note that Bernardino Leon while working ostensibly for the UN on Libya negotiated a job with a UAE diplomatic institute. That was just another piece of UN for sale under Ban Ki-moon. But now it may be time for Bernardino Leon to work for that money. Watch this site.
