U.N. threatens Yemen with sanctions

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SANAA, Yemen, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- The United Nations threatened Yemen with economic sanctions if the political process is blocked in the upcoming National Dialogue Conference in March.

The 15-member Security Council said that the conference should be conducted in an "inclusive manner involving the full participation of all segments of Yemeni society, including representatives from the South and other regions, and the full and effective participation of youth and women."

Yemen has been undergoing a democratic transition since the Government of National Unity under the leadership of President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi came to power in an election in February 2012 that followed the resignation of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the United Nations said in a release.

The National Dialogue Conference is designed to be a constitution-making progress and to plan for the general elections to be held in 2014.

"While progress has been made and the transition remains largely on track, it is clear that there has been active resistance to the transition, "said the U.N. special envoy for Yemen, Jamal Benomar, adding that "it is clear to whom these are attributable to."