Gulf countries are locked in tough negotiations with Russia on a UN draft resolution to impose an arms embargo and sanctions against Houthis in Yemen, AFP citied diplomats saying on Wednesday.
The resolution would seek to re-launch a political dialogue that broke down after Yemen’s Shiite Huthi rebels pressed ahead with an offensive, forcing President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia.
The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been negotiating with the five permanent Security Council members and Jordan on a text after Saudi Arabia launched an air campaign on Yemen on March 26, without a UN mandate.
But its push for an international arms embargo and sanctions targeting the Huthis has run into major opposition from Russia, which has friendly relations with Iran.
Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of backing the Huthis in their power grab as part of a bid to extend its regional influence.
“The GCC will now need to lobby the Russians very, very hard,” said a Security Council diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
During negotiations, Russia presented amendments to the draft resolution that would extend an arms embargo to all sides, including Hadi’s forces in the conflict, diplomats said.
Moscow also opposed sweeping sanctions against the Huthis and requested that a list be submitted of individual names of rebel leaders who could be targeted for a global travel ban and assets freeze.
The UN’s peace envoy for Yemen, Jamal Benomar, was in New York on Wednesday for meetings amid reports that Gulf countries were demanding that he be replaced.
UN negotiations on Yemen are being held against the backdrop of six-power talks in Switzerland with Iran on a nuclear deal that could change the power dynamics in the Middle East.