Saleh initiatives can salvage Yemen, prevent bloodshed – Egypt envoy

SANA’A, March 03 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s initiatives to lift Yemen out of the current crisis can salvage the country and prevent bloodshed, Egypt’s envoy to Sana’a said on Thursday. In an interview with the September 26 weekly, Ashraf Abdul Wahab Aql said:” the truth is that President Saleh is clever, moderate and fully aware of his country’s situation”. The crux of the problem lies in the continuous challenges facing Yemen for a long time which President Saleh knows their size, he said, adding that for this reason the president has been making concessions and responding to the demands of the opposition positively. ” The ball is now in the field of the opposition which should respond to Saleh’s initiatives positively and put the country’s interest above their own, and they should also keep open the door to any initiatives by Saleh or other sides interested in serving the country” he added. “The mistrust between the parties in Yemen should be tackled and the foggy sight of some leaders should end. Yemen has a special position and internals and externals are targeting its stability; hence, the nation interest should be placed above all else”. Dialogue is the way of the Yemeni people who are deemed the origin of the Arabs and civilization,” said Aql. In his remarks, Aql highlighted the situation in his country following the revolution that led to the resignation of former president Mubarak, saying the Egyptian economy is recovering and that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is managing the country well. Regarding the Yemeni-Egyptian cooperation, he said the bilateral cooperation remains good under the joint committee co-chaired by the premiers. FRSaba