President Saleh holds phone talks with U.S. counterpart

SANA’A, May 07 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh made on Thursday a telephone call to U.S. President Barack Obama to discuss ways of strengthening the Yemeni-American relations and the areas of joint cooperation between the two friendly countries, particularly in the fight against terrorism. During the conversation, Saleh and Obama talked over the situations in the Meddle East and the U.S. President’s efforts to advance the peace process in the region. President Obama stressed his country’s keenness to boost cooperation and partnership relations with Yemen, praising the efforts made by Yemen in the fight against terrorism and alluding to the role of President Saleh in this area. Obama reiterated that the United States supports Yemen’s unity, security and stability in addition to its democratic practices. He said also that a unified, stable and democratic Yemen is securing continuously the security and stability in the region, pointing out that his country and the European Union will support Yemen’s efforts in the fields of economic development, democracy and combating terrorism. For his part, President Saleh paid tribute to the U.S. policies which support Yemen’s unity, security, stability and democracy, renewing his country’s keenness to strengthen and develop the cooperation relations with the United States at different levels for serving the common interests of the two Yemeni and American peoples. He also commended President Obama’s positive efforts for advancing the peace process in the region and adopting the language of dialogue and diplomatic means to address issues and problems in the region for avoiding conflicts and tensions leading to instability. President Saleh renovated his country’s support for Obama’s plans to bring peace to the Middle East on the basis of a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for ensuring the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. YA Saba