Hadi's Government Claims UN Plan Legitimizes Yemeni Rebels

Reuters reports that the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen, has described the United Nations plan for Yemen as "legitimizing the rebels." This comes amid reports of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates regarding this plan. Reuters states it has seen a copy of a letter from the Yemeni government’s representative to the Security Council. According to the UN, the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi is recognized as the legitimate government of Yemen. Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia following the advance of the rebels. In the letter referenced by Reuters on December 7, the plan proposed by Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the UN envoy for Yemen, is described as "motivating the Houthi-Saleh rebels, legitimizing the uprising and their demands." The Yemeni representation refers to the coalition of Shiite Houthis and supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who currently control Sana'a, the capital, and significant areas of the country. The rebels recently announced that the "coalition government" they formed has begun operations. Hadi's government rejected this move, stating it "ignores the demands of the people and the international community." According to the letter seen by Reuters, the Yemeni representation at the UN opposes at least part of the "roadmap" proposed by Ahmed to resolve the crisis in the country. Hadi's government claims this plan "creates a dangerous international trend that encourages coups against national governments and elected officials." The UN plan calls for Hadi to step down and be replaced by his deputy, while asking the rebels to withdraw from control of the country's main cities. Hadi was sworn in as President of Yemen in March 2012 after political protests against Saleh's 33-year rule. He was the vice president and the only candidate in the election, receiving 99.8% of the votes. The Yemeni rebels are supported by Iranian officials, while Hadi is backed by Saudi officials and the coalition he has formed. This coalition intervened in the Yemeni crisis a year and a half ago, conducting extensive airstrikes in the country. These strikes have prevented the Houthis from advancing in key areas like Aden, but have faced widespread international criticism for resulting in a high percentage of civilian casualties. The Houthis also face similar criticisms regarding their attacks or the use of civilians as human shields. It is unclear how much support the Yemeni government's representation at the UN has from Saudi Arabia and Hadi's main supporters; a senior diplomat told Reuters last month that Saudi Arabia apparently agrees with Ahmed's plan and has asked Hadi to accept it. The United Arab Emirates, another key member of the Arab coalition, also stated in November that it supports the UN roadmap. The United States and the United Kingdom are also among the supporters of this plan.