Company denies it signed contract with Israeli company

SANA'A, Feb. 26 (Saba) – The Yemen Liquefied Natural Gas Company (YLNG) has denied
reports that it had signed a contract with an Israeli company to implement part of
the Liquefied Natural Gas Project.

An information official at the company said the company is not authorized to sign
contracts with Israeli companies and that it scrutinizes tenders it receives for the
project.
"Tens of companies are participating in the Yemen LNG project but all of the
participating companies are non-Israeli ones," the official affirmed.
"As the government is a shareholder in the project through the (YLNG) and the Yemen
Insurance Company and as the chairman of the board of directors is Yemen's minister
of Oil and Minerals, Israeli companies can not be part of the project," the official
added.
The company exercises maximum transparency regarding the details of the project on
which Yemen pins big economic hopes.
The company welcomes journalists to familiarize themselves with the details of
executive works of the project, the official said, urging media to exercise accuracy
as to what they report.
Earlier, the Wahdawi website reported that the Yemen Gas Company has signed a
contract with an Israeli company to install networks for laboratories at the company
sites in the Belhaf area of Shabwa province.
The 3.7-billion-dollar LNG project is the most important in the history of the
country that is a small producer of about 380,000 barrels per day of oil.
The project is run by the Yemen Liquefied Natural Gas Company, which is a joint
venture owned by the state-run Yemen Gas Company, French oil giant Total, US Hunt
Oil Company, as well as Kogas and Hyundai from South Korea.
The project was expected to generate the largest single revenue for the country.
The Yemeni government expects the project to generate up to 20 billion dollars over
the course of 20 to 25 years after its completion in 2008.
The first phase of the project was inaugurated in October 2008.
FR






Yemen, Russia set $1 billion arms deal

MOSCOW, Feb. 26 (Saba) – Well-informed sources said on Thursday that the visit's
outcomes of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to the Russian capital Moscow were
significant and would enhance bilateral relations and the areas of joint cooperation
between Yemen and Russia, especially the economic, trade and investment levels as
well as the military level.
"The most important result of President Saleh's successful visit to Moscow is the
signing of a Russian military equipment deal, including land, sea and air military
equipment in order to enhance the defense capability of Yemen in the fight against
terrorism and piracy", said the sources.
Pointing that the cost of the contract amounted to $1 billion, the sources said that
the deal included a number of MiG-29 fighter jets and offensive and military
transport helicopters, in addition to modern (T-80) and (T-72) tanks, (BT R 80)
armored vehicles, cutters, modern telecommunications and other military equipment
and supplies needed by Yemen's army and security forces to carry out their tasks and
duties in the field of defense and security and combating terrorism and piracy.
For the economic and investment side, the talks held by President Saleh with Russian
officials included the possibility of generating 3000 MW of electrical power of BOT
power and exploring for oil, gas and metals by Russian companies.
"A number of Russian companies stated willingness to invest in Yemen in these areas
and the implementation of a number of projects in the fields of dams, irrigation,
gas pipelines, railways, fishing and cement industry", added the sources.
The February 24-26 visit, the first to Moscow by President Saleh since 2004, is the
second leg of Saleh's international tour, which was started with a trip to Syria
last Monday. He will also visit Tajikistan and Indonesia.
YA




President arrives in Dushanbe

DUSHANBE, Feb. 26 (Saba)-President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived on Thursday at the
Dushanbe capital in an official visit to Tajikistan in reply to an invitation of the
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
President Saleh was welcomed at Dushanbe international airport by president of
Tajikistan and other top Tajik officials.
Upon his arrival, president Saleh told media outlets that he would hold talks with
Tajik president over relationship between Yemeni-Tajik peoples, and means of
enhancing the economic cooperation between the two countries and extending fields of
cooperation in domains of health, agriculture, minerals, and education.
He added that the two leaders would follow up level of implementation of agreements
that were recently signed by the two countries during the visit of the Tajik
president to Yemen last year.
President Saleh said that the two sides would also discuss coordination of their
positions over issues of common concern and recent developments in the Middle East
especially current situation in Palestine within the Israeli continuing siege on
Gaza Strip.
He expressed his confidence that his visit would be successful to develop
cooperation between the two countries in different fields.
AH






Parliament approves to extend its term for two years

SANA'A, Feb. 26 (Saba)- The Parliament approved overwhelmingly to amend the article
No. 65 of the constitution that permitted to extend the term of the current
parliament for further two years in order to enable the parliament to make further
legislative reforms during these two years.
The decision was taken during an extraordinary session held on Thursday after a
request presented by the political parties represented in the parliament to give
enough time for these parties to discuss constitutional amendments needed to develop
the political and elections system in the country, including the proportional list
system.
At the end of the session, the speaker of parliament Yahya al-Ra'ai expressed thanks
for President Ali Abdullah Saleh who sponsored the dialogue between different
political parties to reach a political agreement towards national issues in order to
enhance development, economy and security of the nation.
Al-Ra'ai urged members of the parliament to double their efforts in the coming
period to achieve their tasks.
AH





President lays down foundation stone for Yemeni embassy in Russia

SANA'A, Feb. 26 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh laid on Thursday a
foundation stone for the building of the Yemeni embassy and the ambassador residence
in Moscow.
The president was received in the location of the project by Foreign Minister Abu
Bakr al-Qirbi and Yemeni ambassador to Moscow Mohammed al-Hilali.
Saleh listened to the components of the projects including administrative complex
and the ambassador residence.
AF/AF


Yemen arrests al-Qaeda Suspect

SANA'A, Feb. 26 (Saba) -Three people including an Al-Qaeda suspect have been
arrested in Sana'a.
The three were seized as Anti-terror police carried out a raid Monday on a suspected
home where the three were hiding.
Some police were injured as the suspects fought them during the raid which was
conducted in dawn at the Salah al-Din area in the capital.
The operation came after police gained information that a terrorism suspect was
hiding at the home.
Last month, the Interior Ministry announced they had arrested about 50 terrorist
suspects. In 2008, about 6000 wanted people were arrested.
However, the ministry denied last month that the arrests were linked to terror,
saying all the arrested were wanted on other criminal charges including killings and
banditry.
On February 17, Yemen extradited Abu Al-Hareth Muhammad Al-Oufi, a wanted terrorist
by Saudi Arabia who handed himself in to Yemeni authorities.
Al-Oufi rejoined al-Qaeda groups after he was released from the US prison at the
Gunatanamo Bay, Cuba.
His name was on a list of 83 wanted people the Saudi Interior ministry made public
in January.
Al-Oufi was the field commandor of al-Qaeda branches in the Arabian Peninsula.
Al-Oufi's extradition came almost two weeks after al-Qaeda announced a new
administraiton for its barnches in the Arab Peninsula was appointed.