Washington, May 24 (ANI): The Obama administration and its Arab and European allies are reassessing their military and economic support for Yemen in a desperate search for ways to force President Ali Abdullah Saleh's resignation before civil war erupts.
According to a Washington Post report, Saleh refusal to ink a third successive peace deal negotiated by Persian Gulf states, could force the US and its allies to consider other steps.
White House counter-terrorism chief John O. Brennan said: " If he doesn't sign, we're going to have to consider possible other steps.
One option, U.S. and Arab officials said, would be to bring Yemen before the U.N. Security Council for unspecified sanctions.
But even as they considered new steps to resolve the escalating crisis in Yemen, which is in its third month, officials acknowledged that any course of action they might pursue poses risks in this strategically located country.
"The situation is very delicate now," said the administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
In the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, gun battles raged Monday between government forces and fighters loyal to powerful tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar, who has sided with the growing opposition movement that has demanded an end to Saleh's 32-year-long rule, wire services reported.
The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa announced it would close its consular section Tuesday and Wednesday "due to the fluid security situation" and would provide emergency services only for U.S. citizens.
"We're taking one day at a time, but we're not at this point relying on a change of heart on the part of Saleh," the administration official said.
He added: "We need to now reevaluate with our partners the next step we can take that will try to resolve this." (ANI)
|
|
Comments:
