Almotamar.net, Saba - President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived in the Qatari capital Doha Sunday evening, leading the Yemen delegation for participating in meetings of the Arab ordinary summit to be held in Doha.

President Saleh was welcomed at Doha Airport by the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Qatari Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatari Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani, the Arab League Secretary General Amro Musa, the Qatari ambassador to Yemen Qassim Abu al-Aynain and the Yemeni ambassador to Qatar Abdulmalik Saeed Abdeh and staff of the Yemeni embassy.

Upon his arrival in Doha the President gave a statement to the media expressing his happiness for taking part in meetings of the Arab summit that is being held under important circumstances and difficult challenges facing the Arab nation at more than one level.

President Saleh said ,” We look forward this summit would come out with resolutions enhancing the efforts exerted since the Kuwait summit for clearing the Arab atmospheres , reconciliation and enhancement of the march of solidarity and Arab joint action.”

He added, “We in the Yemen republic would submit anew our vision for developing mechanisms of the Arab joint action via the Arab Union project which the Arab parliament approved to refer to the summit through the General Secretariat of the Arab League. And since the current Arab situation and the threats against the Arab National security and due to what the general interest of the nation dictates it is necessary to consider with responsibility the ways guaranteeing to come out from this situation the Nation experiences presently and there must be a new vision aspiring the future and benefiting from others’ experiences in grouping and integration and unity as thee is no other way before the nation in order to face the challenges but by solidarity and unity.”


The President affirmed that the summit should ponder the situations in the Palestinian arena , the threats against the Sudan security, stability and sovereignty and in the light of the International Criminal Court of a dangerous precedence against the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir that disclosed the double standard of the international justice concept at the time the Israeli war criminals who committed the brutal massacres and war of annihilation against the sons of the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip are stall away from that justice. “We renew our demand for prosecuting them before the international justice for the crimes they have committed, in addition to considering the situations in Somalia especially after the election of a new president for Somalia and formation of a national unity government.”

The Yemeni delegation to the Doha Arab summit includes the Political Advisor to the President Dr Abdulkarim al-Eryany, the Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, the Minister of Civil Service and the Minister of Finance.


In an interview with the Qatari newspaper Al-Sharq, published on Sunday, president hoped that the Arab summit in Doha comes out with more positive results, affirming the importance of continuing the achievement of the Palestinian reconciliation.

He said that the Arab Peace Initiative is very clear to the international community, the United States of America, the European Union and Israel and it will not be on the table for ever which will force Arab nation to take a stand.

Saleh renewed that the Arab unity is the only way to achieve peace and it is not possible to achieve peace with the Netanyahu's government without it.

As for Yemen's accession to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), president said that the accession of Yemen to eight Gulf institutions is considered a positive step.

He expressed comfort with ties with the opposition, noting it is part of democracy in Yemen and they believe in dialogue. President re-affirmed that Yemeni union is protected by the will of the Yemeni people and they are keen to keep their country unified.

As far as the ruling system in Yemen is concerned, president said "we are governed by the constitution and it does not include any kind of inheritance for power," adding that "anybody has the right to run for presidency."

Saleh made clear that Yemen relation with the new US administration is the same with the previous US administration, saying that "we hope Obama's administration to be more understanding for the region issues, specially the Palestinian issue, and there are positive indicators in this regard."

He reviewed procedures taken by Yemen to face piracy acts in the Indian Ocean. "We have activated Yemeni coast guards and they managed to foil a number of piracy attempts in our regional waters," Saleh said.

President also affirmed that Yemen is working to attract investment in different fields, welcoming all investment and made clear that Yemen Investment Law provides all facilities for all investors.

Saleh described the Yemeni-Qatari relations as distinguished and based on respect, trust and partnership, saying that "we have excellent diplomatic, economic and political relations with Qatar."


Saba