Almotamar.net - President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Wednesday affirmed the significance of the Russian role in pushing forward peace efforts in the region, expressing Yemen welcome of convening the international conference for peace in Moscow.

Receiving at his resident in the Kremlin on Wednesday the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the President pointed out Yemen keenness on enhancing and developing the two countries relations and on pushing them towards broader areas in the way serving the two countries� common interests.

The President praised the level of Yemeni Russian relations and their steady developments, affirming solidness and development of those relations.

For his part, the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov confirmed Russia�s interest in consolidating its relations with Yemen and developing cooperation horizons at various levels. He pointed out that President Saleh�s visit to Russia would enhance the process of the relations of the two countries.

Minister Lavrov also pointed out Yemen�s efforts in the area of combating terror and piracy, reiterating confirmation of his country�s support of the Arab peace initiative as being considered the basis on which the international peace conference will be based. Russia would be hosting the international conference next year.

President Saleh had discussed with the Russian Foreign Minister Yemen Russia bilateral relations, areas of their cooperation and ways of enhancing and developing them. In addition, he discussed regional and international developments in the region, particularly developments on the Palestinian arena in the light of the preparations for holding the international conference for the reconstruction of Gaza, scheduled in Moscow.

The President also discussed with the Russian Minister efforts of the Palestinian conciliation, international efforts for fighting piracy and terror in addition to the Arab peace initiative and ways of realizing it.