On
Yemen, UN's
Ban Punts, As
IMF Tells ICP
First Review
Suspended
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
WASHINGTON
& UN, March
26 -- Ban
Ki-moon, as UN
Secretary
General
something of
an arbiter if
not protector
of
international
law, finally
issued a
statement at
noon:
The
Secretary-General
notes that the
Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
has announced
that, at the
request of the
Government of
Yemen, it has
begun military
operations in
Yemen.
He is aware of
reports that
other states,
in particular
members of the
Gulf
Cooperation
Council, are
also
supporting
these
operations.
The
Secretary-General
recalls the
Security
Council's
Presidential
Statement of
22 March
which, while
supporting the
legitimacy of
the President
of Yemen, Abdo
Rabbo Mansour
Hadi, called
upon all
parties and
Member States
to refrain
from taking
any actions
that undermine
the unity,
sovereignty,
independence
and
territorial
integrity of
Yemen. The
Security
Council also
called on all
Member States
to refrain
from external
interference
which seeks to
foment
conflict and
instability
and instead to
support the
political
transition.
The
Secretary-General
reminds all
parties
involved of
their
obligations
under
international
humanitarian
law to ensure
the protection
of civilians
and of all
humanitarian
and United
Nations and
associated
personnel, as
well as of the
rules and
principles of
international
human rights
law and
refugee law.
The
Secretary-General
highly
appreciates
the tireless
efforts of his
Special
Adviser Jamal
Benomar and
notes that,
despite
escalation,
negotiations
remain the
only option
for ultimately
resolving the
Yemeni crisis.
The
Secretary-General
will continue
to closely
monitor the
unfolding
situation in
Yemen.
New York, 26
March 2015
Amid
airstrikes in
Yemen, Inner
City Press on
March 26 asked
the
International
Monetary Fund
again about
the status of
its program in
the country.
IMF Deputy
Spokesperson
William Murray
said that the
first review
is postponed
until things
clarify.
Back on
January 22,
Murray had
answered Inner
City Press
that while
events in
Yemen were not
helpful, the
review was not
until Spring.
Now it is
postponed
indefinitely.
On March 26,
Inner City
Press asked
Murray if the
IMF has had
any contact
with the
Houthis. No,
seemed to be
the answer -
certainly not
in recent
days, Murray
specified.
Murray
declined a
follow up
question about
the impact on
oil markets.
Inner City
Press also
asked Murray
to confirm
that the IMF
may declined
to proceed
with Haiti if
it continues
to subsidize
electricity.
Murray said he
would get an
answer to the
question and
that it would
be circulated
and inserted
into the
transcript.
Watch this
site.
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