Tuesday, 26-June-2007
Almotamar Net - President Ali Abdullah Saleh described Tuesday his talks with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy as fruitful and valuable and pouring in enhancement of the relations of cooperation and friendship of the two countries. Almotamar.net - President Ali Abdullah Saleh described Tuesday his talks with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy as fruitful and valuable and pouring in enhancement of the relations of cooperation and friendship of the two countries.

On the personality of president Sarkozy and how he found it president Saleh said president Sarkozy is brilliant and, picks up topics and comprehends them. He listens more than talks, describing that as good characteristics of a leader able to make a decision.

President Saleh added that Sarkozy is a prominent European personality and he will play a very important role in the upcoming period. He will play a positive and effective role whether inside the European Union or at the international level in addition to "our hope of important role at level of bilateral relations between Yemen and France and with the European Union in general."

In his interview to the French TV 5 and YTA channels president Saleh affirmed that Yemen achieved success in fighting terror and "We can say we have controlled terrorists attacks but despite of that a terrorist act happens e very now and then but our security apparatuses are awake and control the situation well." He added," Besides the security aspect we have conducted dialogues with young people who were deceived and were influenced by ideas of terrorist organisations and we have rectified the wrong ideas put in their minds. Thus many of them returned to the right course and moderateness at a time there is a number of terrorist elements hiding and at large for fear of justice and security authorities are chasing them." Nevertheless the president expressed concern over the increasing danger of terror as a result of joint international efforts in fighting terror and all causes and factors feeding terror.

The president mentioned that he had confirmed more than once that before going to fight terror there must be beginning in drying up springs of terror, clarifying in this regard that there should be a combat on poverty and unemployment because extremist elements take advantage of the unemployed youth in some areas where poverty spreads especially in the non-democratic countries.

President Saleh added that Yemen supports the efforts of fighting terror and that it is partner with the United States of America, the European Union countries and other world countries, whether those that have been exposed to terror or have not.

On the Somali question the president said " We are now optimistic after the transitional government has entered the capital Mogadishu and we have called on the states interested in supporting stability in Somalia to offer support and assistance for the reconstruction of the Somali government institutions in order to control security and stability in this country and to avoid its being one of the tension spots in the region."

In his response to a question on Yemen's apprehensions about any tensions or disputed in the Horn of Africa region and reflections of that on Yemen and countries of the region, president Saleh said" There is no doubt that tension in the region will affects us in Yemen. For more than sixteen years the conflict in Somalia have been negatively reflected on the region's countries, including Yemen which embraces more than 700 thousand Somali refugees forming economic, social and security burden on Yemen. We suffer from the growing migration of Somali and African refugees and despite of that the international community does not offer something mentionable to Yemen in this regard. "

Concerning fears that Somalia could be a seminary of terrorists and Yemen's role in confronting that president Saleh said "We stand by the Somali transitional government and share other some other friendly countries in offering support for the reconstruction of the Somali state structure and enhancement of security and satiability in that country for fear that Somalia could remain a spot for terrorist elements that makes them constitute great danger similar to terrorists presence in Afghanistan."

Responding to a question on the recent developments on the Palestinian arena especial after Al-Zawahiri announcement of his support for what Hamas has taken the president replied "We do not think that, the Palestinians are reasonable and they have a cause they defend and are fighting the Israeli occupation and they cannot be driven towards what al-Qaeda, represented by Al-Zawahiri adopts as they are bigger than that. Al-Qaeda organisation represented by al-Zawahiri and Bun Laden hunt for events and picks any difference between Fatah and Hamas and to appear as if supporters and blessing what is made by Fatah and Hamas. "

The president made it clear that there is an issue of difference between the movements of Fatah and Hamas and al-Qaeda organisation has nothing to do with that and there are confrontations between Fatah and Hamas in the light of the parliamentary elections. I do not know why does al-Zawahiri seeks to suggest as if he has a connection with Hamas." The president pointed out the efforts Yemen is exerting for containing the dispute the two movements and the invitation it has extended to leaderships of the two movements to return to the negotiating table to cure the issues of difference in the light of Mecca agreement the y had signed.

On his expectations of the results of the donor conference held in Paris on Darfur especially under absence of Sudan from participation the president said " I think Sudan should participate as it is the one concerned in the manner realizing the targeted goals of the conference because in case of absence of the one concerned and the conference comes out with resolutions they will be not obligatory," expressing his hope that the conference will come out with fruitful and positive results serving the efforts for establishment of security and peace in Darfur.

The president added "We realize that the west is interested in this matter but it must consult with Sudan as an essential element regarding violence in Darfur, which is in its majority a conflict of interests and influence and not for humanitarian aspects. It is also supposed that the African Union to participate in the conference.
This story was printed at: Tuesday, 07-May-2024 Time: 07:58 AM
Original story link: http://www.almotamar.net/en/2889.htm