|
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 26-- The Security Council on Monday adopted a Russian-drafted resolution on a technical rollover of the Yemen sanctions regime. The unanimous vote followed a Russian veto of a UK-drafted text that contained language of Iranian "non-compliance" with the UN sanctions regime against individuals and entities deemed to be engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen. In the vote on the UK-drafted text, 11 members of the council were in favor, Russia and Bolivia were against, and China and Kazakhstan abstained. Since Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council, the UK draft failed to be adopted. Adoption needs at least nine votes without veto by any of the five permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The council then put to vote the Russian-drafted text, which won unanimous support of the 15 members of the council. The Russian text was adopted as Resolution 2402. The resolution renews sanctions against designated individuals and entities for a year, till Feb. 26, 2019, and extends the mandate of a Panel of Experts, which is tasked to assist in the implementation of the sanctions regime, until March 28, 2019. The sanctions include an asset freeze against designated individuals and entities and a travel ban. Yemen has been in civil war since 2017, pitting Houthi forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and forces loyal to the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. In December 2017, conflict erupted between Houthi rebels and Saleh supporters, leading to the killing of Saleh. | 
