U.S. affirms its support to Yemen in development, anti-terrorism fields

SANA’S, Jan.02 (Saba) – General David H. Petraeus, Commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), affirmed on Saturday his country’s support to Yemen and its efforts in the field of development and combating terrorism. This came during his meeting with President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Saturday in Sana’a, during which he conveyed a letter from the U.S. President Barack Obama to President Saleh. The letter dealt with the bilateral relations and the joint cooperation fields between the two friendly countries, including the security field and the fight against terrorism and sea piracy. The U.S. official pointed out that the U.S is keen to strengthen its relations and the joint cooperation with Yemen so as to serve the common interests of the two countries. He congratulated President Saleh on the success of the pre-emptive operations recently carried out by the security and air forces against the al-Qaeda hideouts in provinces of Abyan and Shabwa in the south and Arhab district in the capital Sana’a. These operations affirm Yemen’s determination to hunt down the terrorist elements of al-Qaeda and support the international community efforts in combating terrorism so as to serve the security and stability in the regions and the world, he indicated. For his part, President Saleh noted to the Yemeni-American relations and what they witness from growing development , praising the U.S. support to Yemen whether in the developmental field or combating terrorism or military training and coastguard fields. President Saleh confirmed our country’s keenness to enhance its relations and cooperation with the U.S to serve the joint interests of the two countries. He reaffirmed that Yemen, which has suffered so much from terrorism, would continue its efforts in combating terrorism and cooperate with the international community in this area, as the terrorism is a dangerous phenomenon threatening the security and safety of all. BASana