YEMEN STILL WORRIES ABOUT AFRICAN REFUGEES

SANA'A, April 05 (Saba)- Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of the
Higher National Committee for Refugees Affairs Ali Muthana said
growth of the African refuge to Yemen is a source of worry for the
Yemeni government as it resulted in further economic, social and
security burdens.

In his statement to al-Syasiah daily, the deputy minister said that
Yemen has talks with countries of Gulf Cooperation Council to
contribute to efforts of offering care for the African refugees.


The unstable condition in Somalia helped to increase the African
refuge to Yemen, he said, the solution for this problem based on
concern of the international community and neighboring countries of
Somalia to find out a political solution for the Somali issue.

He affirmed that the recent security measures taken by the Yemeni
government on refugees were because threats stated by al-Shabab
al-Mujahid. These measures aim at protecting security and preventing
infiltration of any group to carry out terror acts, he added.

The deputy minister made clear that decision of closure for sea
outlets of Yemen was not against refugees, but it targets pirates.

AH