Al-Qirbi: Saudis believe Yemen's Unity is positive factor for

By: Jamal al-Hamadani

Translated by: Mahmoud Assamiee

SANA'A, June (Saba)-Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi diminished
importance of sabotage acts made by outlaw members and calls for
secession raised recently in some southern governorates.

In interview with Saudi Al Madina Newspaper, al-Qirbi said Yemeni
Unity is the natural fate of Yemeni people. He said the Yemeni-
Saudi relations are in continuous development while there is support
and care from the Custodian of the tow Holly Mosques and President
Ali Abdullah Saleh.

He said raising Israeli extremist right-wing to the office as
Binyamin Natanyaho Prime Minister and Avigdor Lieberman as foreign
minister does not bring good news in realizing peace in the region.

He indicated that Arab Peace Initiative will not remain on the table
for ever and there is a meeting to Arab foreign Ministers late this
year to evaluate the situation in the region and wither the
initiative remain or not.

The following interview sheds lights more about the situation in
Yemen.

Q: What is your explanation to recent sabotage acts and calls to
cession by so called leaders of the political movement in southern
and eastern governorates?

A: Calls for separation and sabotage acts in some southern
governorates have made by some outlaws groups fed by separatists
dreaming of to return to before 22 of May 1990. They utilize
atmosphere of democracy and tolerance the homeland enjoy carrying
out their goals. However, the government dealt with them with
complete keenness to keep security and protect citizens while in the
same time granted them the right to demonstrate and free expression
according to the constitution laws. But the government will firmly
act to thwart violence and sabotage acts.

Q: How do you see affirmation of Saudi Foreign Minister Saud
al-Faisal on unlimited support to Yemen and his saying" Yemen's
stability is the Kingdom's stability and stable kingdom is stable
Yemen"? A: In fact, this attitude is not new for our brothers in the
Kingdom. It reflects the natural and real situation of relations
between the two brotherly countries and the extend perception and
understanding of the Saudi political leadership to dangers and
aftermaths unrest and instability in Yemen. Brothers in the kingdom
believe that Yemen's unity was new addition to stability and
security in the region.

Q: What are reasons behind reoccurrence between the government and
Houthi rebels? And what is the new of this issue?A: Situations in
Sa'ada witness some times state of calmness and some others tensions
as a result of practices of rebels every now and then. The
government aims at keeping security and stability and reconstructing
the area. Some may exploit situations in the south to push Houthis
for more violence. However, president and the government are so keen
to avoid war despite increasing blackmailing by Houthis.

Q: Are al-Qaeda militant still posing threat to foreign facilities
in Yemen? Is there a plan to face this threat?

A: No one deny al-Qaeda and extremists' existence in Yemen as the
matter in many regional and foreign countries. The problems are what
are the sizes of these organizations and extend of their abilities
on carrying out terrorist acts? I think, we in Yemen suffer from
exaggerating of these groups' potentials because their targets are
easy and soft such as targeting innocent tourists. They can not
target the security and the army and they realize they carry out
acts do not sever Islam at all.

Q: What are reasons behind Yemen an the United States differences
over returning Yemeni detainees in Guantanamo Bay to Yemen?

A: Since the beginning, Yemen has been demanding to get its
detainees at their home and committed itself to deal with them
according the constitution and law. When the US party suggested
Saudi experience and its success in qualifying Saudi elements coming
back from Guantanamo and introduced the idea of Yemen to qualify
their citizens expected to be released, we welcomed that and so
Americans voiced readiness to support this experiment with $ 11
million. Yemen's did no put any condition to receive its citizens.
Very sorrowfully, there are American centers and some political
analysts or some officials in the US administrations consider
Yemen's attitudes over Guantanamo prison as a difficulty to US
administration to cure the file. Yemen wants curing detainees
problem whither by returning them to their countries or sending them
to nearest prisons in Europe or in the Arab World.

Q: What reasons behind hindering continuous dialogue between
Palestinians and not reaching to joint point in all issues including
restoring Palestinian reconciliation?

A: There is Palestinian dialogue in Cairo and Egypt exerts efforts
to reach to Palestinian reconciliation and solving all problems
causing the split, besides all Arab countries support these efforts
to bring it into success. Whatever efforts made by Arab countries
depend on Palestinian to make them successful.

Q: How do you read the future of peace process in the area on the
light of current developments in Palestine and winning of Natanyahoo
as Prime Minister?

A: In fact, rising of the Israeli Extreme Right-Wing to the power as
Natanyahoo Prime Minister and Avigdor Lieberman as Foreign Minister
does not bring good news. Even extremist Israeli statements and not
admitting the two- state solution are early indicators of retreat
realizing peace process. We are Arabs presented all concessions and
we have nothing more to present. US Barak Obama who committee
himself to the two-state solutions and supporting peace process in
the Middle East has the opportunity to play great role.

Q: Is Arab initiative for peace with Israel still valid to be
discussed in the light of current developments and Israeli
continuous refuse to it?

A: Arab initiative for peace will not remain long on the table.
Custodian of the two Holly Mosques affirmed this in Kuwait Summit.
As I said, we have to wait for steps to be taken by the new US
administration and see her efforts towards peace. There is a meeting
to Arab foreign Ministers to be held in the end of 2009. The meeting
will evaluate the situation and will see wither the initiative will
remain or not. In case there is no practical improvement, Arab are
not committed to proceed on and will find themselves waiting for
other choices.

Q: What is your evaluation to Yemeni-Saudi relations? And how do you
see the future of these relations?

A: Our country's relation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is in
continuous improvement and growth. They are influx from the two
leaderships' keenness on promoting these relations to the best
level. We are in Yemen satisfied with the level of economic and
cooperation and political coordination between Yemen and the
kingdom. We also look forward for more partnership in field economy
and investment.