President ends suspension of youths military service

SANA’A, (Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced Monday ending the suspension of law of national service which has suspended for years. In his speech to new batches of graduates from the military and police academies, President Saleh said that around 70,000 students would be sent to the military and security camps and 30,000 female students would be obliged to serve in health and education sectors for the national service. “The decision is as a part of resolutions set to receive youths in military institutions to improve their skills and enhance nationalism”, Saleh said. President Saleh also admitted existence of economic challenges that government shoulders responsibility to tackle price hikes which resulted due to international increase. He called on opposition to speak about the problems reasonably, saying that democracy is a civil way of handle matters. Saleh also called the opposition to present alternatives to government or parliament to resolve price hikes without staging sit-ins and demonstrations. We have to respect right of majority and opinion of opposition within democracy, he said, noting that Yemen is considered as a star in the Middle East in field of democracy, freedom of expression, respect of human rights and women empowerment. Since local and presidential elections in 2006, many achievements have been fulfilled in fields of reforms and combating corruption, president said, adding that the military and security institution is a nonpartisan body that defends laws, constitution and security of the nation. Concluding his speech, president Saleh congratulated graduates, wishing them best luck in their practical life. AH/AM Saba