Yemeni president criticizes the US and accuses it of violating human rights

The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Wednesday criticized the USA and accused it of violating human rights and embarking on the "double standard" policy towards the Arab states.

Replying to American reports concerning human rights in Yemen, Saleh said that all the accusations are against the third world, especially the Arab world, and "they do not criticize themselves." Saleh regretted the American reports questioning whether human rights were violated in "Guantanamu, Abu Ghreib or in Egypt, in Saudi Arabia or the Palestinian territories." He called for the reforms of the UN and to abrogate the veto right and the representation at the UN Security Council to be for the five continents and the veto to be used according to a participatory rotating approach every four years.

The Yemeni president questioned the reason why America embarks on the doubled standard policy in the region, adding "why do not they respond to our demands to reforming the UN which is the umbrella for all so as to end dictatorship and comprehensiveness in decision taking." He also expressed his hope that the forthcoming Arab summit in Algeria on March 22 will call for the departure of foreign forces from the region and to end the Israeli occupation and the wall of separation in the Palestinian territories. An annual report was issued recently by the US Department Of State which accused Yemen of violating human rights and resorting to torture and indiscriminate detention.