MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Russia’s embassy in Yemen has taken additional measures to ensure security of the its employees, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
"According to latest reports, the United States and a number of European and Arab states have announced temporary closure of their diplomatic missions in Yemen. Representatives of the United Nations led by Jamal Benomar continue their activities in a routine regime," the ministry said.
"The Russian embassy in Sana’a has taken additional security measures to ensure safety of its employees who are taking active efforts to promote the normalization of the situation in Yemen through contacts with various political forces of the country," the ministry noted.
Also, the ministry reiterated its recommendations to Russian citizens "to refrain from any trips to Yemen."
"Moscow is closely watching the development of the situation in Yemen," the ministry underscored. "We support steps geared to find a format of intra-Yemen long-term and lasting settlement in the interests of all citizens of the country under the authority of Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General Benomar."
"The political crisis that has deteriorated on the backdrop of the seizure of governmental buildings by armed groups of the Ansar Allah movement, the resignation of President Hadi, Prime Minister Bahah and dissolution of the parliament is far from settlement," the ministry underscored.
"We proceed from the fact that it is vital that Yemen’s leading political forces, including Ansar Allah, begin an inclusive dialogue dedicated to the most pressing issues on Yemen’s domestic agenda, to the elaboration of coordinated schemes of governing the state," the ministry said. "We call on all Yemeni parties to demonstrate restraint and refrain from actions that might further aggravate the situation."
"We are confident that stronger external pressure, including sanctions, on the parties to the political process is counterproductive," the ministry stressed.