Saleh presents speech at Libya summit

SURT, March 27 (Saba) - President Ali Abdullah
Saleh presented a speech as the 22nd Arab summit kicked off on Saturday in the
Libyan
Surt city, thanking Libya for good arrangements for the summit and the efforts of
previous leaders of Arab summits.
He also thanked the countries and appreciated all efforts that help face challenges
in Yemen topped the rebellion in the far north.
The Houthi group was trying to restore imamate rule and serving external agenda but
after the group accepted the ceasefire conditions, President Saleh said, we assure
that
the Yemeni government will continue establishing peace and the development path.
President Saleh touched upon the events in the south, saying the secessionist
movement is exploiting legal demands of the people and seeking separation after
their 1994
attempt through committing violence and destructive acts.
What we want to affirm here is that the Yemeni unity remains a giant national and
Arab achievement that should not be neglected, he said.
The unity is the peace, security and prosperity element for the Yemeni people, the
region and the world, he added.
'We will continue tackling the issues in Yemen and take necessary steps to preserve
peace and the public security as well as meeting legal demands within the
constitution
and under the unity roof.'Our hands will be stretched out for those who want to
contribute to building Yemen, he said, pointing out that all the Yemeni people are
ready to
defend the national unity.
One of the major problems facing Yemen is terrorism, Saleh said, affirming Yemen
has done and will continue to exert major efforts to root out terrorist suspects.
He also pointed to the preemptive terror operations in the north and south that
killed, wounded and arrested scores of al-Qaeda members in late 2009 and early this
year.
Distinguished brothers: Our summit takes place amid complicated challenges facing
the Arab World in various fields including political, security and economic areas,
he said,
adding that the current situation makes us to look at this summit to meet aspirations.
The current situation also requires that we work together to lift ourselves from
this stalemate and face our challenges through protecting the national security and
activating
Arab common work, he said.
The future of Arab work is with its improvement so that the Arab countries benefit
from their potentials.
He underscored the Yemeni initiative to activate Arab work, saying it has been
derived from other initiatives presented to the Arab League and it is dealing for
an objective
treatment of the current Arab divisions. Dear brothers: In his speech, President
Saleh highlighted the situation in Palestine saying that the Israeli arrogance and
refusal
to all peace efforts is driving us to a deadlock.
'The attempts to judize al-Quds and offending the holy places in Palestine,
expanding settlements and the violence against the people in the country including
destroying
homes, arrests and blockade….all these besides other Israeli terrorist acts can't
take a right and ensure peace. However, what the Jewish state is acting is deepening
and
exploding the situation.' What is happening in Palestine requires the Arab to have a
united voice and take concrete action to defend the Islamic holy places and support
the
Palestinian people.
'The Arab countries have made many concessions but Israel always proves its
arrogance through unilateral steps including its belief in using force to deal with
the issues.'
Saleh also urged the Palestinian to reconcile and unite against the Israeli
schemes. He also highlighted the Somali situation, saying that there is still an
opportunity
for peace in the country through supporting the government and beefing up the
African Peacekeeper Force there.
We should also support the Somali state budget to keep the country's stability and
prevent other threats besides the current ones of piracy and growing extremism.
There is also another Arab country which stands in need for development
support…that is the Comoros, he said, pointing to donors pledges for the country.
Yemen watched with concern the latest developments in Libya-Switzerland dispute
after the latter imposed tough measures on travels from Libya to its lands, Saleh
said.
We assure our brothers in Libya of our firm stance supporting their cause and urge
Switzerland to reconsider their position and respect diplomatic norms and
international
relations among countries, he said.
We also congratulate Sudan for the peace deal signed this year in Qatar between the
north and south, he said, appreciating the Qatari, Chad and Arab League efforts for
the
deal. With a united Sudan, the Arab have a good source of strength, he said,
congratulating the Iraqis on the successful parliamentary elections.
The Arab World is looking at this summit now, wishing it comes out with effective
decisions to severe social, economic and security issues, he concluded.
FR