Almotamar.net - President Ali Abdullah Saleh confirmed there are no reservations on part of Gulf Cooperation Council GCC states in terms of Yemen accession to the Council. He said,� Yemen will remain adhering to strong relations with the Gulf States in the bilateral or collective frame, whether Yemen joined the GCC or did not.� The President also praised his meetings with leaderships and officials in Bahrain.

In an interview with Bahraini Alayyam newspaper on Friday, President Saleh revealed the volume of trade exchange between Bahrain and Yemen as estimated at more than $ one billion and 250 annually and he also welcomed the Bahraini Gulf investments in Yemen in general, saying they would find all encouragement and �we would offer them many facilities.�


On the Higher Joint Commission, the two countries approved to set up following the President�s visit to Bahrain, the President said it would hold its first meetings next June and would be concerned with enhancement of the two countries� cooperation in investments. Regarding Yemen accession to the GCC the President denied his knowledge of existence of any reservations on part of the Gulf States.


The President also affirmed that Yemen will continue to be sticking to close relations with the Gulf States whether in the bilateral o the collective framework.