US military commander achieves progress in Yemen

The commander-in-chief of US Central Command, General Anthony Zinni, began a formal visit to Yemen yesterday that will conclude today, after his meeting with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and officials in the Yemeni Defense Ministry.

A Yemeni source said today that the talks tackled regional developments, and bilateral military cooperation.

The source also added that the visit achieved progress in the military cooperation between the two countries and that eight diplomatic and military delegations visited Yemen during the last two weeks.

Saleh denied a Yemen Times newspaper report that Yemen approved to give the U.S. use of military facilities in Aden and the island of Socotra.