Almotamar.net - President Ali Abdullah Saleh has described his visit to the United States of America as successful and fruitful. The president said the total American annual assistance to Yemen is to amount to $254 million and it will have positive reflections with regard to consolidating the partnership and cooperation relations existing between the two countries at various political, economic security levels as well as efforts of fighting terror."

On his return to Sana'a on Thursday wrapping up a successful state visit to the United States of America the president added " We are satisfied regarding results of the talks we held in Washington and president Bush and American officials confirmed in our discussions with them their commitment to stand by Yemen and support it in its efforts exerted in areas of democracy, development, reforms and fighting terror and it was agreed to offer a sum of $35 million from the Challenge of the Millennium Fund at the threshold stage to be raised to $100 million annually in addition to an amount of $59 million to support the military and security establishment in addition to other assistance."

The president said there were frank and transparent discussions with American officials, mainly president George Bush dealt with the situations ands issues of interest to bilateral relations and security, stability and peace in the region and the world and "We affirmed in those discussions the importance of the role the US should undertake in pushing forward the process of peace in the region through obliging Israel to accept the Arab initiative for peace which represents the correct inlet for establishment of just peace in the region that is based on implementation of the international legitimacy related to the Arab-Israeli conflict, guaranteeing the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian national soil and its capital al-Quds in addition to guaranteeing the Palestinians right to return.

President Saleh added " We have affirmed that establishment of peace in the region will greatly contribute to realization of security and stability in it and enhancement of the efforts for fighting terror."

The president stressed that the Yemeni-American relations will in the upcoming period see more development in the direction strengthening the existing partnership and serving the joint interests and aspirations of the Yemeni and American peoples.

During his visit to America the president held talks with President George Bush and officials in the American administration dealt with ways of consolidating bilateral relations and areas of cooperation in addition to discussion of the regional and international developments and situations of common interest. The main of those are the situations in Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia, Darfur and Afghanistan in addition to the Arab peace initiative and efforts of fighting terror.

Saba