Russia Assails West Over Yemen

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/02/world/russia-assails-west-over-yemen.html

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In an outburst of diplomatic finger-pointing, Russia on Friday blamed the West for blocking a Security Council statement that sought “humanitarian pauses” in the Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen to allow the delivery of food, fuel and medicine. Emerging from an emergency session of the Council, the Russian ambassador, Vitaly I. Churkin, said Yemen was running out of food and medicine and sharply suggested that the United States, which supports the bombings, is responsible for their humanitarian consequences. Russia had proposed a statement that would be unenforceable, and not legally binding. “If you can’t agree to a motherhood and apple pie statement, what can you agree on?” he said. The criticism was in sharp contrast to Russia’s response to efforts by Western countries over the last couple of years to force the Syrian government, which Russia supports, to allow aid convoys into rebel-held areas. In a statement, an American official said Washington supported the idea of a humanitarian pause and was working with its Saudi allies to facilitate the delivery of aid.