Saleh and Gul hold press conference in Sana’a

Saba
SANA’A, Jan.11 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his Turkish President Abdullah Gul held here on Tuesday a press conference. In the press conference, the two leaders reviewed results of the bilateral talks and future prospects for developing the bilateral relation and areas of joint cooperation between the two countries. President Saleh noted that the Turkish President’s current visit to Yemen would open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries in the economic, trade, investment, cultural and social areas. “There are broad prospects to promote joint cooperation”, Saleh said. He added that the two countries signed on Monday five agreements and they would sign today two agreements in the technical and vocational education field and abolition of visas between the two countries. The competent authorities in both countries were directed to quickly activate agreements signed between the two countries, including 19 agreements that have been signed since 1981, Saleh indicated. He welcomed the Turkish investments in Yemen in fields of oil, gas and electric power generation and in the industrial field, as well as the Turkish private sector’s partnership with the Yemeni private sector. “We are ready to hand the industrial zone, equipped with all services, in Hodeidah province to Turkish investors as soon as possible”, said Saleh. He described the Turkish President’s visit to Yemen as successful and excellent by all standards. Saleh highly appreciated Turkey’s positions towards Islamic and Arab issues, foremost its position towards the suffering of Palestine people from the unjust siege by Israeli occupation. In addition, Saleh pointed that he briefed Gul on the latest developments at the Yemeni arena, confirming that the two countries’ positions towards the issues they discussed were identical. For his part, President Gul expressed his appreciation for the worm reception and hospitality he and his accompanying delegation received in Yemen. He described his visit to Yemen as historic, as it is the first at the level of Turkish President to Yemen. Gul confirmed his country’s keenness to activate the agreements signed between the two countries, noting that the agreement of visas abolition would enable Yemeni and Turkish citizens to exchange visits as they did so in history without barriers. He thanked President Saleh for his approval of establishing a memorial monument for the Turkish martyrs in one of the most beautiful squares in the capital Sana’a, considering this monument a symbol of the fraternity between Turks and Yemenis Gul reiterated that Turkey gives a great attention to Yemen’s unity and sovereignty and supports Yemen’s efforts to combat terrorism. “No doubt that terrorism is unacceptable and rejected internationally, so there should be international cooperation against terrorism”, said Gul. On the developments in Yemen, Gul said:” We are following up closely and carefully the reforms achieved in Yemen”, adding that Turkey would continue to provide support to Yemen’s economic development. Regarding the industrial zone in Yemen, he confirmed that Turkey is ready to cooperate with Yemen in this regard. “On this occasion, I would like to point out that our concerned ministers are conducting negotiations to achieve cooperation in various fields”, Gul said. President Gul said that his talks with President Saleh also addressed the stability of the region and all matters that concern the Arabian Peninsula, Middle East and Africa. He confirmed the conformity of viewpoints between Yemen and Turkey, especially regarding the Palestinian issue, which concerns not only the Palestinian people but also the Arab and Islamic nation. BA