President Saleh meets Yafa elders

SANA’A May 17 (Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh held a meeting on Sunday with elders of Hadd district of Yafa region in Lahj governorate to listen to needs of the district for development and services projects. In the meeting, president Saleh congratulated the attendants on 19th anniversary of the Yemeni unification, saying that the unification is a fate of the Yemeni people and result of their sacrifice. He also appreciated a position of the Yafa district in defending the unity of the nation, which is for all Yemeni citizens, saying that the citizens of Yafa know what is meaning of the separation as they had suffered for years from it when conflicts were between the two former parties of Yemen and inside the part. We will not allow those to make Yemeni smaller, Yemen is big by its men who are existence in all of the world, he said. President Saleh admitted there are mistakes happened in the whole country but not only in Aden, Lahj, Abyan, Hadramout, Shabwa, al-Maharah and al-Dali. But, all country witnessed progress, he added. He blamed the local councils of any fault, asking them to tackle these faults and follow up implementation of the development projects for the citizens. Moreover, president Saleh pointed out to the constitutional amendments which would be taken and approval of the local ruling with wide range of power. He affirmed importance of the unity, warning from the separation and its risk on the stability of the nation, calling on all to gather efforts of all to build the nation. He also warned of erupting the regionalism and sectarianism which aims at creating disagreement among citizens of the nation, calling on all to face those who doing that. President Saleh also asked the local authority and government to give priorities in the development plan for the needs of the Hadd district of Yafa. Senior sheikh of Yafa Faris Hussein al-Harharah delivered a speech on behalf of the sheikhs of Yafa in which he confirmed support of the citizens of the region for the unification. AH Saba