The United Nations Security Council has held a closed-door meeting about the crisis in Yemen but failed to agree on a joint public statement about the situation.
Reports quoted diplomats as saying Germany and Lebanon, two of the Security Council's 15 member states, led efforts to agree a statement.
But they said that initiative was blocked by veto-holding permanent Security Council members Russia and China.
U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said several Security Council delegations were seeking instructions from their governments on how to proceed.
The April 19 meeting was held as reports said Yemeni forces had again opened fire on antigovernment protesters, killing three people.
More than 120 people have been reported killed in the past two months of protests calling for the end to more than 30 years of rule by President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The Gulf Cooperation Council has been attempting to mediate a process that would result in Saleh's departure from power.
compiled from agency reports