Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 April 2015
204. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he proposes to raise the ongoing crisis in Yemen at the next European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13745/15]
View answerIt is not yet clear whether or not there will be a further discussion of Yemen at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 April. The Council most recently considered the situation at its meeting on 9 February 2015 when we set out our views on the steps required to achieve a sustainable solution to the developing crisis in the country. Regrettably, the political and security crisis in Yemen has deepened in recent days. Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition which has launched air strikes in response to advances by Houthi forces. On Tuesday of this week, the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed his shock at the air strike on the Al-Mazraq camp and warned of total collapse in Yemen. This is a terrifying prospect for a country already facing a dire humanitarian situation, not to mention the threat posed by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and by a nascent ISIS movement; the latter claimed responsibility for the brutal attacks at mosques in Sana’a on 20 March.
The EU continues to support the efforts of the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar, who has been trying in recent weeks to facilitate inclusive negotiations between the parties, but to no avail as yet. It nonetheless remains my view that peace talks are the optimum way to achieve a political consensus which can restore order to Yemen and avoid a protracted and sectarian conflict with implications for the stability of the region.
