Benomar''s briefing on Yemen paves way to adopt tough anti-Saleh UNSC resolution

The Security Council European members are relying on a negative report by the UN Special envoy Jamal Benomar to the Council later today on his recent failed Mission to Yemen to convince all 15 members to adopt a tough draft resolution in the next few days. The draft resolution is to call on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to relinquish power and support the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)'s initiative to solve the crisis peacefully, a European diplomat said late Monday. The Council is scheduled to hold closed-door consultations later today to "hear and discuss a briefing by UN Special Envoy (on Yemen) Jamal Benomar on his latest talks in Yemen. We expect more specifics to be outlined during consultations regarding the timetable of a possible draft resolution on Yemen, " the diplomat told reporters. Benomar visited Sana'a late last month and failed to find common grounds between Saleh's government and the opposition which has been calling on his ouster for months. In messages ahead of today's informal meeting, demonstrators in the streets of Sana'a called on the Security Council to act, and Salah issued a confusing statement last Saturday saying he would step down "within days." His statement didn't fool the Yemeni opposition or the international community. The elements of the proposed draft resolution include "the creation of a bigger role for the Security Council to support the GCC initiative, a call on Saleh to sign the GCC initiative and transfer power peacefully without preconditions. The framework of the GCC Yemen initiative is that Saleh hands over power to his deputy, that a national coalition government be formed that groups representatives from both the current government and the opposition and other political parties. Saleh and his family, as well as figures from his regime, be given guarantees they would not be prosecuted. The elements also include a call on both government forces and the opposition to put an end to violence and terrorizing acts, to collect weapons in public places, and strongly condemn human rights violations. The proposed draft will not, at least at this stage, include any mention of sanctions or refer the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Russia and China, which vetoed a similar resolution on Syria last week, are expected to support the anti-Saleh draft resolution.