UN to vote Friday to approve monitors for Yemen truce

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The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Friday to endorse a ceasefire agreed by the warring parties in Yemen's Hodeidah region and authorize an advance UN team to begin monitoring the deal, diplomats said.

It's reported that the 15-member council has spent a few days wrangling over a British-drafted text and the United States, unhappy with Britain's efforts, came up with its own version on Thursday.

The council will vote on UK's draft and Washington is not expected to put its text to a vote.

The US mission to the UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Police officers stand guard outside Johannesberg Castle, where peace talks on Yemen take place, in Rimbo, 50 kilometers north of Stockholm, Sweden, December 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

"It is rather unusual to see similar but competing drafts put forward by allies, rather than suggesting amendments to existing drafts. But these are unusual times," said a senior UN diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Our focus must be on getting swift adoption to support UN efforts and the agreement between the parties," the diplomat said.

It's said that a resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, U.S., France or Britain to pass.

Marwan Dammaj, Yemen's Minister of Culture, answers journalists' questions outside Johannesberg Castle in Rimbo, 50 kilometers north of Stockholm, Sweden, December 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

After a week of UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden, the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed Yemen government forces agreed last week to stop fighting in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and withdraw forces. The truce began on Tuesday.

The draft resolution authorizes UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to deploy - for an initial 30 days - an advance team to begin monitoring and to support and facilitate the deal between the warring parties.

It also asks Guterres to submit proposals by the end of the month on substantive monitoring operations for the ceasefire and mutual redeployment of forces; support for the management of and inspections at the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa; and strengthening of the UN presence in the Hodeidah region.

Yemeni children gather inside a tent at a camp for displaced people in the Khokha district of the western province of Hodeidah, Yemen, December 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

Guterres would report weekly to the Security Council on implementation of the deal, according to the draft resolution.

The text condemns "the supply, from whatever source, of weapons and associated materiel in contravention of the arms embargo."

The conflict has pushed impoverished Yemen to the verge of famine, and millions of people rely on food aid. More than 80 percent of Yemen's imports used to come through Hodeidah port, but that has slowed to a trickle.

Source(s): Reuters