President Saleh says high-tech military center would be established

HODEIDA, April 30 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Saturday that a high-tech center would soon be set up to upgrade the military capabilities of the Yemeni army. In a ceremony to debut-operate 10 Australian-made gunboats, newly introduced into the navy forces, President Saleh said the new establishment would develop military industrialization and ships and aircraft maintenance. “Experts from friendly and fraternal countries will be recruited” to train Yemeni postgraduates who choose to join the center, the President said. He made clear that the celebration in the eastern region of the country marking the 15th anniversary of the Unification Day on May 22 would also be a celebration of the development of the military institution. Moreover, President Saleh said that Meg-29 fighter aircrafts would soon introduced to the hardware of the army. “We have announced in 2001 that 2005 would be the year of buildup of navy forces. This is because navy forces, in the aftermath of the 1994 summer war, were fragile, vehicles were destroyed and morale of navy personnel was down,” he said. The president said that “the need for an active control of our 2300-km-long coastline” and clampdown on fishing violations that often damage the marine environment is obvious and that is why the navy is being reinforced. “Previously, some flag officers would contribute to looting fishery resources instead of guarding it. However, when the navy forces and coastal defense forces took on the mission, the activities destructive to our national economy and environment were restrictive.” AA/KM SABA