French, Yemeni presidents call for comprehensive solution in ME region
Yemen-France, Politics, 6/28/2003

Sources close to the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Paris said after the meeting he had with the French President Jacque Chirac that the French President raised more than one time the issue of comprehensive peace in the region. A peace which includes Syria and Lebanon and that Chirac agreed with Saleh on the great concern surrounding the current status in Iraq and the need to accelerate the political solution and restoring sovereignty to the Iraqis.

The sources indicated that after the meeting between the two presidents, yesterday, Saleh felt Chirac's clear disappointment over the American policy in the region as the French president considers the increasing resistance against the Americans and "terrorist" attacks which take place in the region reveal the need to resort nonmilitary solutions, and the rightful French view point which states the need to solve the essence of the conflict in the region, and that the solution should be comprehensive so as conditions will be settled and the Arab citizen to feel that the west is not allied against it.

The French president also commended Saleh's cooperation to fighting terrorism not only in Yemen but also in the African horn region.

On Thursday Saleh started his visit to Paris. The visit will end today. Before Chirac, Saleh met with the French Parliamentary leaderships and will be also meeting with several representatives of businesses and officials concerned with economic, cultural and developmental cooperation affairs, amid a clear French desire to support Sanaa.

Saleh said "we have discussed several issues and Yemen- French bilateral relations, relations which are good and remarkable and developing. We have concentrated on what is taking place in the Middle East and the Arab- Israeli conflict and means of implementing the Roadmap (to peace)." He added "we regret what is taking place in Iraq of instability since the deployment of the occupation forces, there are unpleasant acts. we see what the Iraqi citizen is being exposed to, as well as the American and British soldiers, and therefore we wish the coalition forces to create security and stability and to rebuild what was destroyed by the war."

Saleh added "the other part we had talked about was about security in the African horn, Somalia and terrorism, which, as an international community, we agree that it is of great damage on the interests of the world."

For its part, sources at Elysee palace commended the efforts made by Yemen in the context of fighting terrorism especially that Saleh briefed his hosts on the recent security developments, especially as it is an issue of concern to France which has military bases in Djibouti.

Previous Stories:
  Sanaa to cooperate with Paris on ship explosion issue   (10/19/2002)
  Yemeni president will visit Paris in October   (9/21/2000)
  Chief of staffs of the French army leaves Yemen   (10/21/1999)

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