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The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution to voice "grave concern at the situation in Yemen", demanding that "all sides immediately reject the use of violence to achieve political goals."

The Security Council "expresses profound regret at the hundreds of deaths, mainly of civilians, including women and children," said the resolution.

The Council calls upon all concerned parties to ensure the protection of women and children to improve women's participation in conflict resolution and encourages all parties to facilitate the equal and full participation of women at decision-making levels.

Yemen has been engrossed in unrest for nine months as protesters calling for the ouster of long-time leader Ali Abdullah Saleh clashed with government security forces.

The Security Council condemned "all terrorist and other attacks against civilians and against the authorities, including those aimed at jeopardizing the political process in Yemen, such as the attack on the Presidential compound in Sana'a on June 3, 2011," the resolution said.

Saleh was injured in the attack and subsequently took time away from Yemen in Saudi Arabia to recover. Since his return, he has said he is prepared to sign a power-transfer deal initiated by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) if the opposition provides guarantees from the U.S., Europe, and Gulf countries for the deal' s implementation.

In Resolution 2014, the 15-nation Security Council noted this offer by Saleh "reaffirms its view that the signature and implementation as soon as possible of a settlement agreement on the basis of the Gulf Cooperation Council initiatives essential for an inclusive, orderly, and Yemeni-led process of political transition."

The resolution called on "all parties in Yemen to commit themselves to implementation of a political settlement based on this initiative."

The newly adopted resolution was jointly presented to the Security Council by Britain and Germany.

"We urge on the back of this very strong and clear statement from the international community that President Saleh now signs the GCC agreement and takes forward the political transition as the international community has urged him to do," said Mark Lyall Grant, permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the UN, speaking to reporters outside the council meeting after the vote.

In a statement read to the press by B. Lynn Pascoe, UN under- secretary-general for political affairs, said "It is a clear sign of deepening international concern about the absence of a political settlement in Yemen and how this is contributing to a rapid deterioration in the situation in the country."

"Now is the time for the government and opposition leaders to live up to the responsibilities and reach an agreement. The resolution is clear in this regard, it calls for action without further delay," he noted.