President: Our Arab unity initiatives viewed inconceivable by some

SANA’A, May 31(Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Tuesday that Yemen’s two initiatives for pan-Arab unity were viewed as “inconceivable” by some. In an interview with a host of Arab lawyers who have just wrapped up a forum in Mukalla, the president explained hat “superciliousness” is the motive of that refusal. “I regret to say that what brought us to such a state (of split) is arrogance and disdain of one another.” He affirmed that governments can’t afford to offer anything without support of lawyers. The president highlighted that “the Yemeni unity is a cornerstone for the inter-Arab unity”. President Saleh quoted the president of the Arab federation as saying that Europe set a pattern in unity. “We had, on our part, struggled for regularizing the Arab summit and proposed the establishment of an Arab union under which Arab states corporately face the Zionist entity that incites against Arab ruling systems. It (the Zionist entity) has instigated against Iraq.” He said: “Unfortunately what undermines the Arab Umma is the lack of courage, and frankness between the ruler and the ruled. What is the use of normalizing relations with Israel? We are not against Judaism. We are all ready to coexist with Israel. But Israel has to withdraw from our occupied territories in Syria, South of Lebanon, West Bank, Gaza and the lands of 1967. We have accepted the roadmap, to coexist with Israelonce we regain the lands of 1967. But they refused. Now, they are settingup the separation barrier. AA/NS SABA