Riyadh’s UN envoy hopes Security Council holds Houthis accountable for their violations

Iran and Israel have been the main sponsors of state terrorism in the region and the world at large, the Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Abdallah Al-Mouallimi said in an exclusive interview with Arab News on Wednesday.
Speaking by phone from New York, Al-Mouallimi said Iran’s intervention in Yemen is in total violation of the United Nation’s relevant resolutions, calling on the international community to curb the Iranian interventions in the internal affairs of other countries.
“Iran continues to play a destructive role in the region,” said the ambassador, adding: “Obviously the ballistic missiles coming from Yemen must have been supplied by Iran because they (Iranians) are the ones doing this in violation of Resolution 2216. Iran continues to play a damaging and destructive role in the region.”
With regard to the Iranian propaganda machine spreading lies and trying to divert the international communities’ attention from Tehran's interference in the affairs of other countries, Al-Mouallimi said that accusations made by Iran or Israel are "a badge of honor for us. These two countries have been the main sponsors of state terrorism in the region and in the world at large”.
Proof of the Kingdom's impeccable behavior is the UN General Assembly's resolution "in which they thanked SA for its contribution and acknowledged its leading role in combating terrorism”, added the envoy.
In this context, the Yemeni government sent a letter to the Arab coalition forces requesting them to prevent unauthorized vessels from approaching the Yemeni coast.
In a meeting it held in the Yemeni city of Mukalla, the Yemeni Cabinet discussed the continuous Iranian interference and violation of Yemen's territorial waters — while attempting to smuggle weapons to the Houthi militias in fishing boats — as well as Tehran's illegal acts of espionage, smuggling and hiring mercenaries from some Horn of Africa countries to fight in Yemen.
The Yemeni Cabinet approved a complaint about Iranian violations, addressed to the UN Security Council.
According to Al-Mouallimi, Houthis launched more than 30 rocket attacks at Saudi territories, killing and wounding several innocent civilians, both Saudis and foreigners.
The Kingdom’s delegation to the UN sent a letter to the Security Council informing it of the Houthi aggressions and violations. 
The letter, written by Al-Mouallimi, highlighted the continued acts of aggression perpetrated on the Saudi border and on Saudi territories by Houthi militias and military forces loyal to ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Al-Mouallimi said the letter aimed at informing the UN and the Security Council members of these violations against the Saudi sovereignty.
“It is our responsibility to inform the UN and to inform the Security Council about these repeated attacks. We expect, and hope, that the SC will take up its responsibilities and take the necessary steps to make it known to the Houthis and to those who support them that violation of the sovereignty of SA and of
UN Security Council Resolution 2216, as well as others, cannot be tolerated and should be stopped immediately,” Al-Mouallimi said, reiterating that the Kingdom bases its policies on respect for human rights and for the sovereignty of states.
“There have been many reports criticizing the Houthis for their violations, for recruiting children and for serious disregard for human rights, but it would not surprise me that there is probably more criticism of SA because the entire world holds Saudi Arabia to a higher standard than the Houthis,” said the envoy.
“Of course we hold ourselves to a higher standard than the Houthis. These are militias, people that are not concerned with any rules or regulations. We are a responsible state so it is natural that we are held to a higher standard,” he reiterated.
Regarding Syria, the ambassador said the upcoming meeting between Russia and the US, as well as the regional powers, will hopefully bear some fruit and the tragic and inhumane conditions of the Syrian people who have been suffering for many years can be addressed.
Some major international efforts failed to secure a political solution to the war in Syria, which has killed more than 300,000 people. A new diplomatic push will take place this weekend. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to be joined Saturday in Lausanne, Switzerland, by counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and possibly Qatar.
Saudi Arabia has been working extensively to rally international support to find a solution to the Syrian tragedy. It handed over a letter to the UN, calling for immediate action to end the crisis.
“I hope that these kinds of activities with regard to the Syrian question will bear fruit. The UNSC failed to reach a solution last Saturday. We have submitted a letter to the Security Council, co-signed by 61 other countries, expressing our outrage at the failure of the Security Council (to put an end to the war in Syria) and calling for action.
"So we are witnessing now some results of this kind of pressure in the form of the Saturday meeting called for by the EU this weekend,” Al-Mouallimi said.
At the same time, the ambassador stressed that the Kingdom will continue to play its role in alleviating the misery of the Syrian citizens.
“Saudi Arabia is concerned about its brothers and sisters who are affected by war, particularly children in Aleppo and civilian causalities in Sanaa. Saudi Arabia has always been a place where people in need from many countries want to come. We offered to the world support for a series of surgeries of conjoined twins and it is not surprising that the King should issue instructions to house Syrian children and victims of the incident in Sanaa.
"The Kingdom continues to be the home for all Arabs and to provide services and humanitarian assistance to all those who need it,” he said.
Earlier this week, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman ordered that the victims of last week’s attack on a Yemeni hall who are in critical condition be transferred abroad for treatment.
The king instructed aid organizations to coordinate with the Arab coalition forces fighting rebels in Yemen and the legitimate Yemeni government to facilitate the evacuation of those wounded who need treatment abroad.
Saudi Arabia also announced that it will pay for the treatment of 150 Syrian children injured in Aleppo. They will be treated in border hospitals in Turkey, according to a press statement issued by the Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Source: Arab News