Almotamar.net - Yemen's foreign minister Dr Abu Bakr al-Qirbi affirmed Saturday that al-Houthi insurgency in Saada file Would be closed in a short while, pointing out the Qatari initiative to put an end to the rebellion in Saada. He said " We try to make the rebels return to reason so that to become citizens contributing to development instead of destruction and there are groups that actually returned to reason and this dossier will be closed soon."

Al-Qirbi denied reports on Qatari mediation between Yemen and Iran, saying "There is no mediation, we talk to Iran directly. I went to Iran to talk on this subject and a delegation from Tehran came to Sana'a and we are keen on the Yemeni-Iranian relations and at the same time we say that Yemen refuses interference in its internal issues and that violence begets destruction only."

Commenting on reports mentioning that the Iranian president Ahmedi Najad revival of the idea of exporting the revolution to the region al-Qirbi said "The issue of ambitions can be tackled through drawing up an Arab strategy especially that ambitions are not just from Iran but rather from all the countries that need petroleum and gas."
The minister affirmed that the Arab League ministerial council meting entrusted the Arab Peace Initiative Committee to hold dialogue with the American administration on the "negative elements" in the speech of the US president George Bush regarding the Palestinian issue and the peace process in the Middle East in addition to his call for holding an international conference for peace. He clarified that the committee would endeavour not to exclude any of the parties concerned with peace from taking part in that conference and that the solution should be on all tracks.

Al-Qirbi also revealed an argument erupted among Arab foreign ministers on many of topics, among them if the Arabs go to the international conference carrying with them a map of the Palestinian state proposed to be established and a timetable of negotiations that must be concluded with announcing it or not. He made it clear that it was agreed to leave details to the initiative committee provided that there must not be splitting of the solution, participation pf all Arab parties and the work for reaching real and durable solution and not just a temporary situation in addition that the Arab initiative for peace should not be an object for bargaining and to be implemented with all of its elements.

The Yemeni minister said the Syrian stance regarding the negative elements in the speech of President Bush was the same Arab stance and the proof is that the decisions issued by the ministerial meeting welcomed the positive elements in Bush's initiative, denying reports that claimed that Syria was alone in facing what it called the negative elements in Bush's speech.

Regarding the difference concerning the Palestinian situation the minister said it was focused on the statement pertaining the crisis in Gaza and was not put on the agenda of the meeting but the fact-finding committee discussed that and issued a separate statement about it and subsequently the difference was on the form rather than the content, i.e. the Palestinian internal situation does harm and impede establishment of the Palestinian state.

On the situation in Iraq the minister commented there will be a meeting of the Arab foreign ministers on 4 September to discuss all the Arab situations, in the forefront of which Iraq and the priority will be for tackling division, national reconciliation and participation of all again in the political process.

In his interview to the Middle East newspaper the minister indicated "Interference in Iraq is not just from Iran and America but also by other different parties among them terrorists having nothing to do with resistance and we do not want the Iranian and American agenda to be an impediment facing the Iraqi accord. The Arab countries must be interested in the reconciliation among the Iraqis and that goal should not be delayed more and all have to refuse Iraq becoming seminary for conflicts and an area for settling accounts, " and on the secret of interest in the Red Sea and much talk about it at this time Al-Qirbi said " The Red Sea is a closed lake and we as countries overlooking it and preserving its security against piracy operations threatening international maritime movement and we do not want it t change into military bases for multi-national forces that harm its security and stability. Maybe it will be exposed to danger because of establishing these military bases and we view the Red Sea has become as if there is no sovereignty by any one on it."

Whether the Red Sea is exposed to security inroads the minister said" There is presence of France, Germany and America in the south of the Red Sea aimed at fighting terror and dealing with the tense situation in the Horn of Africa"

On his view regarding the Gulf States armament by America al-Qirbi said "Armament is a message and may be a kind of warning I do not think the region will experience what is worse than what it experiences now."