SALEH: YEMEN ABLE TO OVERCOME ALL CHALLENGES

SANA'A, March 27 (Saba) - President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said that
Yemen is able to overcome all challenges.

In an interview with London-based al-Hayat Newspaper, Saleh said
that the separatist culture is limited, isolated and discarded and
can't succeed.

In general, the separatist state no longer exists and the south
state project is unsuccessful.

The people in the south are pro-unity and their culture is
pro-unity as well, Saleh said, as he pointed to massive development
in the south and north that has been established after the unity.

'The government has made and will continue to do more to create jobs
for the people and secure better life for them.'

The president voiced his confidence in Yemen's ability to overcome
its problems, saying we faced al-Qaeda, the Houthi group,
separatists and a fourth huge challenge which is developmental and
economic boost.

After we beat terrorists, the rebels and separatists, our concern
remains about boosting the national economy, he said.

He touched upon terrorism in Yemen, saying that what has been
written and said about al-Qaeda in the country is exaggerated. The
organization is now defeated amid Yemeni-foreign coordination and
cooperation against its operatives.'

Moreover, President Saleh affirmed that Yemen-Saudi Arabia ties are
in their golden time, after the two countries signed the Jeddah
treaty.

The president also highlighted the situation in Palestine,
expressing hope that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian
territories, settlement expansion and blockades end soon.

Israel is taking advantage of the Palestinian rift, he said, urging
the Palestinian factions to reconcile and stand together for dangers
surrounding them.

FR