Security Council strongly condemns seizure of United Arab Emirates embassy in Yemen

The United Nations Security Council today condemned “in the strongest term” the storming and seizure of the United Arab Emirates embassy in Sana’a, Yemen, by the Houthis on the 17 August 2015.

“The members of the Security Council demanded an immediate withdrawal of all Houthi elements from the premises and condemned all the acts of violence against diplomatic premises,” said the Council President for the month of August, Joy Ogwu, in a statement issued to the press.

Council members, she added, also recalled the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, and the obligations on host Governments, including under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Per these two instruments, countries must take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage, prevent any disturbance of the peace of these missions or impairment of their dignity, and prevent any attack on diplomatic agents and consular officers.