UN's Ban Ki-Moon says Saudi Arabia 'pressured' him for blacklist removal
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United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon has announced Saudi Arabia will be removed, pending investigation, from a blacklist it was on for its role in killing more than 500 children in the Yemen war, prompting blackmail speculation.
Mr Ban has since as good as confirmed the Saudis subjected him to extortion and condemned them for going too far, while stories have circulated they blackmailed him and threatened to pull funding for a raft of humanitarian programs, including Palestinian refugees.
Mr Ban complained of "unacceptable" and "undue pressure" to take the Saudis off a blacklist for killing 510 children — 60 per cent of the children killed last year.
"This was one of the most painful and difficult decisions I have had to make," Mr Ban said.
"I also had to consider the very real prospect that millions of other children would suffer grievously if, as was suggested to me, countries would de-fund many UN programs.
"It is unacceptable for member states to exert undue pressure. Scrutiny is a natural and necessary part of the work of the United Nations.
"I stand by the report. We will assess the complaints that have been made, but the contents will not change."
Human rights activists have slammed Mr Ban for caving in, and he said it was "due criticism".
'Not in culture' to use threats: Saudi ambassador
The Saudi-led coalition have been fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen, in a controversial conflict that has rained US-made cluster bombs, rockets and artillery down on civilians, killing more than 3,000.
The Houthi rebels, with help from Iran and forces loyal to a former president, seized control of most of Yemen at the start of last year and the coalition, backed by the US then waded in — part of the high stakes struggle for regional supremacy.
Mr Ban's public explanation prompted fierce backlash from the Saudis, who complained they had not been consulted and their information had not been included.
Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, promptly fronted the cameras, saying it denied any wrongdoing.
"It is not in style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation … and it is not in our nature to conduct ourselves in any such aggressive style as has been reported," Mr Al-Mouallimi said.
"This is fishing in turbulent waters on the part of those who are reporting such a thing … all what we need to do is point out the facts, and that's what we did.
"The procedures called for consultation with the concerned governments.
"It calls for consultation with the regional and sub-regional organisations. And this has simply not been followed."
Mr Al-Mouallimi was adamant the decision to take the Saudis off the blacklist is final.
"It is our firm belief that this de-listing is final, irreversible and unconditional," he said.
ABC/Reuters
Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, government-and-politics, human, saudi-arabia, yemen, united-states
