Security Council Press Statement on Seizure of United Arab Emirates Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President U. Joy Ogwu (Nigeria):

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

The members of the Security Council demanded an immediate withdrawal of all Houthi elements from the premises.

The members of the Security Council condemned all the acts of violence against diplomatic premises.

The members of the Security Council 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, to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic and consular premises against any intrusion or damage, and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of these missions or impairment of their dignity, and to prevent any attack on diplomatic agents and consular officers.