Attachments
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The EU is seriously concerned with the rapidly deteriorating political, security and humanitarian situation in Yemen. Recent developments carry grave risks for the stability of the region, in particular that of the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the wider Middle-East. The EU condemns the destabilising unilateral actions taken by the Houthis and military units loyal to ex-President Saleh, urges these forces to end the use of violence immediately and unconditionally and withdraw from areas they have seized, including Sana'a and Aden, and reaffirms its support to Yemen's legitimate authorities. In this regard, the EU welcomes the appointment of Khaled Bahah as the new Vice President of Yemen by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. The EU notes that the President of Yemen informed the President of the Security Council of the United Nations that "he has requested from the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and the League of Arab States to immediately provide support, by all necessary means and measures, including military intervention, to protect Yemen and its people from the continuing aggression by the Houthis". The EU recalls that ultimately the solution to this crisis must be a political one and stands with the international community in its call for an inclusive political process.
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The EU therefore urges all Yemeni parties, in particular the Houthis, to work towards resolving their differences through dialogue and consultation. In that context, the EU calls on all parties to rapidly engage in a process leading to an expeditious cessation of violence and urges all Yemeni parties to go back to the negotiating table. Furthermore, the EU strongly urges the UN to quickly undertake efforts to resume inclusive negotiations and looks forward to the swift appointment of a new UNSG Special Advisor for Yemen. It welcomes the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council and its members to complement these initiatives, fully in line with the framework provided by the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, the National Dialogue Conferences' (NDC) outcomes and the Peace and National Partnership Agreement. Only a broad political consensus through inclusive negotiations can provide a sustainable solution, restore peace, and preserve the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen. The formation of a Government of National Unity is the only way to finalise the transition process and avoid economic and financial collapse and the deepening of the humanitarian crisis. The EU also calls on all regional actors to engage constructively with Yemeni parties in order to enable a de-escalation of the crisis and avoid further regional instability. The EU further urges all parties to fully implement respective UN‑Security Council resolutions, in particular UNSC Resolution 2201 of 15 February 2015, and Resolution 2216 of 14 April 2015.