Saudi Arabia, Yemen end border disputes; Abdullah, Saleh: the two states security is integrated
Saudi Arabia-Yemen, Politics, 2/18/2004

Saudi Arabia and Yemen announced yesterday the end of their differences over the cement wall being built by Riyadh on the Yemeni borders, and Sanaa says it chopped part of the joint lands dedicated for grazing.

The announcement was made during the talks which were held between the Yemeni President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, with the Saudi King, Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, and the Crown Prince, Abdullah, in Riyadh that dealt also with the recent American project pertaining to the Middle East, and the developments of the situation in the Iraqi and Palestinian arenas, and the efforts made to reform and revitalize the mechanism of the Arab League.

Sources close to the talks said that the Saudi and Yemeni side "completed during the talks the differences over the cement pipeline which was installed by the Saudi authorities on its land to prevent smuggling and sneaking between the two countries." The sources added that Saleh and Abdullah stressed during the talks that "the security of the two countries is integrated, and that what is of concern to the Kingdom is of concern to Yemen as well."

The sources also said that the Saudi officials asserted to the Yemeni President that this "pipeline is for additional measures," noting "their assertion that if this pipeline is not in the interest of all it will be removed."

In an arrival statement in Riyadh yesterday, in a visit lasting for two days, leading a delegation including the foreign minister, Abu Baker al-Qurabi, the minister of the Interior, Rashad al-Oleimi, the director of the President's office Ali Muhammad al-Anisi, and several Shoura council members, where they were welcomed by Crown Prince Abdullah, the Yemeni President stressed that "cooperation between Sanaa and al-Riyadh will be enhanced in all fields including the security aspect."

He said that the "border treaty between the two countries is an example to be followed in settling border differences." The Saudi news agency quoted Saleh as saying that the Jeddah agreement increase confidence-building measures between the two states and eliminated all obstacles before improving their relations and constituted a new beginning for a genuine bilateral cooperation.

Yemen and Saudi Arabia signed in 2000 an agreement on border demarcation of the1800 Km - long border, and thereby ended an old conflict that goes back for decades. However, Sanaa accused Riyadh recently of building a "security barrier" on the border situated within an open area for grazing between citizens of the two states, according to texts of the agreement.

Previous Stories:
  Riyadh, Sanaa discuss settling border differences   (2/17/2004)
  Saleh visits Riyadh to discuss border issues   (2/16/2004)
  Saudi- Yemeni talks concluded over border cement barrier   (2/12/2004)

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