Almotamar.net - The German President Horst Koehler affirmed Thursday Germany's commitment to and keenness on supporting the march of development and democracy in Yemen, praising the relations between Yemen and Germany.

In his meeting in Berlin on Thursday with president Ali Abdullah Saleh President Koehler praised the positive changes currently taking place in Yemen regarding democracy, development, freedom of the press, participation of the woman and the reforms that Yemen has accomplished. He called the attention to identical of viewpoints of Yemen and Germany concerning many of regional and international developments. The two heads of state have today held talks that dealt with bilateral relations and areas of cooperation at different political, economic, technical, security, military and cultural levels.

The two presidents also exchanged points of view regarding recent regional and international developments at the top of which the situations in the Middle East particularly the situations in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Somalia, the Horn of Africa and the Iranian nuclear file.

President Saleh praised the German support for the process of democracy, development and reforms in Yemen, lauding the Yemeni-German relations of which he said they are founded on a firm basis and there is a common denomination between the two countries, that is the achievement of both of their reunification after years of division despite the big difference in the economic potentials for each of them. President Saleh pointed out the importance of the role that Germany can play in the bilateral level or in the framework of the European Union in issues and developments going on in the region due to acceptance the German policy receives by many of international parties. The president also called on the European Union to play an effective role in alleviating suffering of the Palestinian people as a result of the tyrannous Israeli blockade and in putting pressure on Israel to accept resolutions of the international legitimacy related to the Arab Israeli conflict in the manner guarantees establishment of the independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian national soil and achievement of just and comprehensive peace in the region. He also pointed out the European Union role in helping Somalia for establishment of security and stability and building of the Somali state establishment as well as reconstruction of what the war in Somalia destroyed, indicating that would serve stability in the Horn of Africa and fighting terror.

President Saleh stressed the importance of the rich countries' support for the poor countries to overcome the challenges of development and poverty and curb unemployment, indicating that represents the proper inlet for combating terror and extremism and to preclude the youth from being a prey of the extremists who find poverty and unemployment as suitable environment for deceiving the youth and pushing them to extremism and committing acts of violence and terror.

Concerning the situations in Iraq President Saleh emphasized the importance of supporting its security, and stability as well as its independence, unity and territorial integration. He also called on the European Union to support Lebanon in the manner that safeguards its stability and national unity, pointing out in this regard the importance of acceleration in the election of a president for the republic in Lebanon to fill the existing vacuum in this post in a framework of an accord that would realise Lebanon's interest and strengthen its national unity.