MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Yemen
6.7.2015 - (2015/2760(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Charles Tannock, Mark Demesmaeker, Angel Dzhambazki, Jana Žitňanská, Beatrix von Storch, Ashley Fox, Ryszard Czarnecki, Marek Jurek, Valdemar Tomaševski, Raffaele Fitto, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Tomasz Piotr Poręba, Marcus Pretzell on behalf of the ECR Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0680/2015
The European Parliament,
– having regard to United Nations Security Council resolutions 2014 (2011), 2051 (2012), 2140 (2014), 2201 (2015) and 2216 (2015), emphasising the need for a peaceful, orderly, inclusive and Yemeni-led transition process in Yemen,
– having regard to the report presented by Jamal Benomar, UN Special Adviser on Yemen, at the 7411th meeting of the UN Security Council of 22 March 2015[1],
– having regard to the final communiqué of the 26th Summit of the League of Arab States of 29 March 2015 on the developments in Yemen, stressing inter alia the necessity of resuming Yemen’s political transition process with the participation of all Yemeni parties in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and its Implementation Mechanism and the outcomes of the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference,
– having regard to the joint statement of 3 July 2015 by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, on the crisis in Yemen,
– having regard to its resolution of 7 April 2011 on the situation in Syria, Bahrain and Yemen[2],
– having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the political transition process launched following the 2011 Arab Spring has brought limited results, and whereas the country’s structural problems, such as corruption and inequality, have not been resolved;
B. whereas the conflict is deeply rooted in feelings of neglect, inequality and poverty, which have worsened the deep tribal and regional fractures that divide Yemeni society; whereas Iran is exacerbating these tribal fractures through its interference in Yemen’s internal affairs;
C. whereas 4 July 2015 will mark the 100th day since the exile of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the launch of the Saudi-led coalition’s air strikes against the continuing advance of Houthi and pro-Saleh forces in Yemen;
D. whereas on 2 July 2015 the UN added Yemen to the list of the highest-level humanitarian emergencies (level 3 crisis) because the country is facing a humanitarian catastrophe, with 21 million people (80 % of its population) in need of humanitarian assistance and a major food crisis looming;
E. whereas the Peace and National Partnership Agreement, facilitated by the UN and signed on 21 September 2014, has failed to stabilise Yemen, but remains the only viable option for ceasing war and stabilising the country;
1. Reaffirms its strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen, and its commitment to stand by the people of Yemen;
2. Reaffirms its support for the legitimacy of the President of Yemen, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi;
3. Demands that all Yemeni parties, in particular the Houthis, refrain from further unilateral actions that could undermine the political transition in Yemen, and fully implement UN Security Council resolution 2201 (2015), i.e. that they:
– end the use of violence and withdraw their forces from all areas they have seized, including the capital, Sana’a,
– relinquish all additional arms seized from military and security institutions, including missile systems,
– cease all actions that are exclusively within the authority of the legitimate Government of Yemen and refrain from any provocation or threats to neighbouring states,
– safely release all political prisoners and all individuals under house arrest or arbitrary detention,
– end the recruitment and use of children and release all children from their ranks;
4. Recalls its support for the current UN efforts towards a lasting, predictable and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire to allow the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance and essential supplies, including fuel, food and basic commodities; recalls, also, that it is therefore essential that commercial shipping access to Yemen be further eased;
5. Calls on Iran to stop interfering in Yemen’s internal affairs and to stop training and funding the Houthi militia;
6. Believes that reforming state institutions should entail reforms of the civil service, the improvement and simplification of procedural processes in state administration, and judicial reform, in addition to improvements in public services such as health, education, water and security;
7. Highlights, moreover, the need to address the state’s inefficiency in managing resources, which is not only causing the economic crisis to deteriorate further, but also has severe political ramifications;
8. Believes that the international community’s concerns about the geopolitical situation in Yemen should focus on two main points: (1) Yemen as a stronghold for Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and increasingly for ISIL/Da’esh, and (2) the Bab‑el‑Mandeb strait as a crossroads for the world’s most important shipping routes, including for the transport of an estimated 4 % of the global oil supply;
9. Stresses that all parties have a responsibility to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law, in accordance with the principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence, including by protecting civilians and refraining from directly targeting civilian infrastructure;
10. Calls for safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian organisations working on the ground; urges all parties, therefore, to facilitate the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance to all parts of Yemen, as well as rapid, safe and unhindered access to enable humanitarian actors to reach people in need of humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance;
11. Recalls that freedom of religion is a fundamental right, and strongly condemns any violence or discrimination on the basis of religion in Yemen;
12. Expresses its grave concern over the abuse of religion by the perpetrators of terrorist acts in Yemen; denounces the instrumentalisation of religion in various conflicts in Yemen;
13. Calls for a thorough, prompt, impartial and effective investigation to be carried out in Yemen in order to identify those responsible and bring the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice;
14. Reiterates its support for all initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue and mutual respect between religious and other communities; calls on all religious authorities to promote tolerance and to take initiatives against hatred and violent and extremist radicalisation;
15. Reiterates its position that there is no other way out of the current crisis than through genuine dialogue and an inclusive political process under UN stewardship, and that only a broad political consensus based on the parameters set by UN Security Council resolution 2216 can provide a sustainable solution to the crisis, tackle the threat posed by terrorist groups and prevent further regional instability;
16. Calls on Yemeni parties to attend future talks and engage without preconditions and in good faith, including by resolving their differences through dialogue and consultations, rejecting acts of violence in order to achieve political goals, and refraining from provocation and from any unilateral actions that would undermine the political transition;
17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, and the relevant EU Heads of Delegation.