SALEH: YEMEN FOR REGIONAL GROUPING TO INCLUDE ARAB NEIGHBORS

SIRT, March 28 (Saba) - President Ali Abdullah Saleh has told
reporters on the sidelines of the 22nd Arab summit being held in
Libyan Surt city that Yemen is for the idea of establishing a
regional union to include some neighbors of Arab states such as
Turkey, Iran and Ethiopia.

Its sounds great that there will be a regional grouping, possibly to
absorb Arab and Islamic states including Turkey and Iran, he said.

He also hoped that the summit approves the Yemeni initiative to
activate Arab common work that call for converting the Arab League
to an Arab union.

On Yemen, he said that the situation now is stable and is unlike
what the media says.

On the other hand, President Saleh said that he will pay a visit to
Egypt to be assured about the health of President Hosni Mubarak
after he underwent a successful surgery in Germany.

I telephoned Mubarak asking after his health and I was informed he
would to Egypt soon, Saleh said.

FR