UAE TV interviews Yemeni president on al-Qaeda, Houthi rebels

SANA’A, Jan. 12 (Saba)- “We will continue working together with our brothers and friends to fight terrorism and we will actively participate in the London conference; Yemen will remain unified, strong, and independent,”, President Ali Abdullah Saleh said in an Interview with Abu Dhabi Satellite TV.The text of the interview with President Saleh.[Abu Dhabi TV] Dear viewers, God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you. I salute you from Abu Dhabi Television and the Orbit talk show, which is presented to you this time in 2010 from the Yemeni presidential palace, where we are honoured to interview His Excellency Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Your Excellency, I welcome you in Abu Dhabi Television and congratulate you on the New Year 2010. Before we begin, I carry a message that I need to convey to you on behalf of all the Yemeni community members who welcome you there and support you in confronting the challenges that Yemen is facing. Your Excellency, perhaps I will begin with the article or the column that you personally wrote for Al-Thawrah Newspaper. It has impressed everybody and through it you managed to dot the i’s regarding Yemen. Your Excellency, what is your assessment of Yemen in the year 2009 and what are your expectations for Yemen in 2010?[President Saleh] First of all, I am happy to talk to Abu Dhabi Satellite Channel. We hope and look forward to 2010 as a year of peace and stability in Yemen and the region. Yemen is facing several challenges, including the Al-Qaeda Organization, the Huothists in Sa’dah, and the Mobility [the Southern Mobility Movement, SMM] that calls for separation, in addition to the economic situation. These are four situations facing Yemen. In Sa’dah, our stance is excellent and our forces are achieving fine victories. As for pursuing and monitoring al-Qaeda, our security units and air force are also achieving fine victories against Al-Qaeda whether in Abyan, Shabwah, or Sanaa Governorate, and the security agencies are still trailing these dangerous elements that tamper with Yemen’s security and stability.Together with all our brothers and friends, we insist on fighting such challenges, particularly the Al-Qaeda Organization and the Huthists. A few days ago, we called for a dialogue with all the political forces representing both the opposition parties and the authority. We have called for a dialogue without resorting to violence or force and without disturbing public peace. Dialogue is the best method; it can even include the Huthists and Al-Qaeda provided they surrender their weapons, abandon violence and terrorism, and return to reason. We are willing to reach an understanding with them, and we will deal with anyone who abandons violence and terrorism. But if Al-Qaeda, the Huthists or others continue to carry out acts of violence and terrorism, we will chase them to the best of our ability, for they are a threat not only to Yemen but also to world security and peace, especially Al-Qaeda. The majority of Al-Qaeda members are ignorant drug dealers, who are illiterate and have nothing to do with Islam. They have caused harm to the Islamic religion not only in Yemen, but all over the world; they have distorted Islam. What the Muslim and Arab citizens are subjected to in the West, the United States, and Europe is a direct result to this Al-Qaeda’s chaos and reckless behaviour. Communities in France, Europe, and America are being harassed because Al-Qaeda caused harm to the true Islamic religion, which shuns away from them. We look upon the year 2010 to be a year of security, stability, and peace. If all the political forces respond to our call for dialogue and understanding, and each have its say, then they are welcomed to present their working papers, so that we discuss them. We will accept what is valid, and we will discuss whatever is excessive or unacceptable until we reach common grounds. If God may, I am optimistic that 2010 will be the year of security, stability, and peace in Yemen. [Abu Dhabi TV] We certainly hope so Your Excellency. Before moving on to some internal dossiers, which we will review briefly, I would like to discuss the UAE-Yemeni situation or relations. Your Excellency, if we go back in time, particularly to 21 October 1986 -perhaps at that time, I was still in preparatory school -I recall a picture of late Shaykh Zayid Bin-Sultan Al Nuhayyan, may his soul rest in peace, together with your esteemed company, as both of you were inaugurating the project of the Ma’rib Dam.. At that time, my generation and I believed that you were simply inaugurating an investment project and we did not realize back then that you were establishing a strategic relationship between the UAE and the Republic of Yemen. Sir, how do you assess the current UAE-Yemeni relations?[President Saleh] In reality, after God the Almighty, the praise goes to Shaykh Zayid for he was a true Arab national and he held Yemen dearly to his heart and supported it. What is important in the reconstruction of the Ma’rib Dam rises above its $135 million cost. Rebuilding this great historic dam, which holds a major significance that goes beyond the $135 million, is what is important. The foundation of the Yemeni-UAE relations was established by Shaykh Zayid, and we highly praise his positive role. This is also true in the case of his children, His Highness Shaykh Khalifah, head of the state, and His Highness Shaykh Muhammad along with all Their Highnesses. They all value good relations with us in Yemen and support the country. Their position in the London Conference with the donor countries was a positive one, and, if I remember correctly, to this day, they have contributed the sum of about 500 million. Approximately $1.2 billion have been sent through the London Conference; this aid aims to rebuild what the flood in Hadramawt has destroyed, and to support the armed and security forces’ training. We value this generous support provided by the UAE, and our relations are special and based on brotherhood, mutual respect, and trust between Yemen and the UAE. Hence, we highly praise His Highness Shaykh Khalifah Bin-Zayid Al Nuhayyan and Their Highnesses the Shaykhs. [Abu Dhabi TV] Speaking of his Highness Shaykh Khalifah Bin-Zayid Al Nuhayyan, you have become very close to him. Sir, how would you describe His Highness?[President Saleh]Actually I am close to all of them. As the saying goes, like father like son. All of them enjoy the same good qualities that their father enjoyed; they are all well mannered, modest, and generous. As I said, like father like son. [Abu Dhabi TV]There are also agreements that were recently signed in the UAE between your minister of foreign affairs and his UAE counterpart, and some aid has already been sent. Your Excellency, are you supporting the projects that are currently carried out in Hadramawt, and regarding the aids sent to the displaced people of Sa’dah, is the Republic of Yemen in need of more aids now?[President Saleh]I have talked with the brothers at the GCC during their last convention held in Kuwait, and I have conveyed the message that the biggest help that Yemen can get is through the GCC countries assimilating the Yemeni workforce. Such help would be greater than billions of dollars, for the more they can assimilate the Yemeni workforce, the more unemployment decreases here and pressure lessens. Most importantly, I hope that the brothers at the GCC work together on creating a yearly quota for Yemen so as to assimilate the Yemeni workforce. Absorbing the current unemployment situation in Yemen constitutes part of this help and this is the most important matter I ask from our brothers in the GCC. [Abu Dhabi TV]Your Excellency, in your opinion and concerning the GCC countries, what does Yemen lack in order to join the GCC countries? [President Saleh]Well, we are ready to join the GCC whenever the GCC decides to complete Yemen’s membership in it. Now we are present in more than about seven to eight institutions, and when there is political will, we will be grateful to and welcoming the GCC leaders’ decision regarding [Yemen’s] joining the GCC. [Abu Dhabi TV]We hope so, God willing. Your Excellency, regarding the UAE file, we are still receiving some complaints from UAE investors and businessmen about their desire to establish projects in the Republic of Yemen, but they always face obstacles. Actually, this is not a thing that is confined only to Yemen; rather, one can face bureaucracy, boring routine, and difficulty in getting commercial licenses in the Arab world and the whole world. If you want tell investors something to reassure them, what do you say? [President Saleh]We have established the General Authority for Investment in order to save a lot of efforts. So, instead of going to the ministries of interior, economy, cooperation, international cooperation, or labour, the investors should go to this authority. There they will find effective laws and all facilities will be offered to them, whether they were from the GCC countries, which are the nearer and older in terms of their investments in Yemen and they also have special facilities guaranteed by this law, or from foreign countries. We welcome anyone who wants to invest in Yemen and will offer them all the facilities through the General Authority for Investment. [Abu Dhabi TV]This is for sure. Your Excellency, I will turn to the domestic issues. Here, I am talking about the triangle of evil which surrounds Yemen, something which saddens any Arab citizen. We hope that you will be bale to confront this triangle, and there is no doubt in that under your ruling. As for what is called the Southern Mobility Movement [SMM], in your opinion, where does the support for these demonstrations come from? [President Saleh]The Satellite channels blow things out of proportion. Some of them display untrue archive footage. Tens or hundreds of what so called the SMM gather together, and as far as I know, they receive support from some expatriates living in the GCC countries; some expatriates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. The regimes in the GCC are innocent of these donations. There are contacts between the security apparatuses in the GCC and us with regards to tracking down and making a follow-up on such donation. These donations reach them form those expatriates as well as from expatriates in the United States and Britain. In general, this is really what is called the SMM. It is a group of people who lost their interests after the blessed unity [of Yemen] and after the 1994 summer war. They lost their interests and stature; other political forces replaced those people and declared war and separation in the 1994 summer. Political forces from the people of the southern governorates replaced them and they consider themselves the custodians of the southern governorates. The unity is deeply established and rooted and a referendum had been held on it. There is no concern about the unity; however, they, undoubtedly, constitute an obstacle that hinders investment and service projects, something which we are suffering from. As for the unity, there are loyal men from our people in the southern governorates who completely maintain and keen on the unity, and they are keener on the unity than others. These are the discordant voices everywhere in the world. In other words, in South America, Britain, and Ireland, there are people who call for secession, and not only in Yemen. You can find the discordant voices everywhere in the world. Anyone whose interests are harmed comes up with something. [Abu Dhabi TV]Yes Your Excellency, there was also a call by some of the leaders of what is called the SMM for holding a referendum, after the fashion of the current Sudanese one, on the recession. Allow me Mr President to read some figures that resulted from a survey conducted by a research and strategic studies centre and the recipients belonged to the Yemeni community living here in the UAE, and I will read these figures if you allow me. The result of the Yemeni community recipients in Saudi Arabia was 98 per cent opposing the separation; no one of the Yemeni community recipients in the UAE supported the idea of the separation; the result of the Yemeni community recipients in Sheffield, Britain, was 98 per cent opposing the secession, given the fact that most of [Yemeni] labours are present there; the result of the Yemeni community recipients in Michigan, the United States, where many of [Yemeni] labours are present there, was 96 per cent opposing the secession. Then, what do those people want? [President Saleh]The answer lies in what you said. [Abu Dhabi TV]Yes, sabotage. [President Saleh]Sabotage! [Abu Dhabi TV]Thank you. Now, I want to turn quickly from what is called the SMM to Al-Qaeda. You are receiving US security and material aid to confront Al-Qaeda Organization. [President Saleh]No, in order no to interrupt you. We did not receive aid in the same way it is being circulated. We receive only intelligence and security training. But there was a call or a statement by the British prime minister yesterday in which he called for holding a meeting on 28 January in which the EU, the United States, and Arab countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE. [Abu Dhabi TV]Your Excellency, did you receive any formal invitation to attend this conference? [President Saleh]We have received a letter from the embassy which, in turn, received it from the British Foreign Office. [Abu Dhabi TV]Will you participate? [President Saleh]We will participate efficiently. [Abu Dhabi TV]Your Excellency, you know about the Nigerian young man and his attempt to blow up the US plane in December 2009. Mr President you can evaluate men, and as we know that this guy descends from a rich Nigerian family, even his mother has Yemeni origins. He used to study in renowned colleges; he studied in the Australian University in Dubai, what would incite the youths of today to commit such foolishness and blow themselves up and kill innocent people? [President Saleh]The reason is ignorance. These people are ignorant in the full sense of the word. If he was educated, he would not have carried out such a terrorist act. Moreover, the media have circulated the fact that he came from Yemen. Then, why did he come from Yemen, go to Nigeria then to Ethiopia, and again go to Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria and then to The Netherlands, and from The Netherlands to the United States? Where are the advanced and developed security devices? The media clamour and the satellite channels are launching a campaign against Yemen. This means that there is a bad intention to harm Yemen’s interests, to distort Yemen’s image through some satellite channels, without mentioning names. [Abu Dhabi TV] Yes, yes, I fully understand your Excellency; Yemen, its people, and its government are not involved in this. Everyone can know what the truth about Yemen and the strategic nature of the Yemeni lands? [President Saleh]Yemen will always be unified, democratic, and stable, God willing, no matter what the sacrifices will be. We have a long experience in this, in which we had endured, after the September revolution of 1962 until 1970, the battles fought against the followers of the imams, and then we were able to victoriously end this war because of our projects of the revolution and unity. Whoever has strategic goals will attain victory at the end. Additionally, our goals are not set by individuals, rather by the Yemeni people. We withstood and fought until the revolution triumphed in the year 1970. Following the period from 1962 until 1972, the so-called National Front emerged in the central areas. We fought it from 1971 until 1982, and then attained victory. After that, we witnessed the apostasy and secession war, which lasted for 67 days and then came out victorious. This is because of our strategic goals and the goals of the Yemeni people, which are not set by us, the rulers, or by individuals. We hold the aspirations and goals of the Yemeni people and not those of the political parties, influential ones, impetuous power-seekers, or traders in politics. We embrace a political project similar to the one we had when we triumphed during the September Revolution, where we had triumphed for the sake of unity. We will defeat the followers of the imams in Sa’ada and the Al-Qaeda Organization soon, God willing. We will hunt them down and never let them go. [Abu Dhabi TV]Yes Excellency, also, one final point regarding the issue of Al-Qaeda Organization. The recent announcement that we heard states that the subversive elements in Somalia will support the Al-Qaeda elements in Yemen. To that extent do these people consider that the Yemeni-Somali boarders are…?[Saleh, interrupting] With this announcement they have harmed the Somalis, numbering more than 600,000 to 700,000 refugees in Yemen. [Abu Dhabi TV]Inside Yemen? [President Saleh]Yes, inside Yemen. This will inflict harm on the Somalis because there will be security measures executed in coastal cities. The Yemenis have always treated the Somalis the same way they treat Yemeni citizens, because no country other than Yemen welcomed them on its lands. Yemen initiated this because Somalia is its neighbouring country and considers the Somalis like brothers; however, after this statement, the Somalis’ interests will be harmed. [Abu Dhabi TV]The Somalis? [President Saleh]Yes, the Somalis in Yemen. The Somalis should be cautious and track the infiltrators among their forces in their villages and camps, and immediately report them to the security services, so that they would not experience any form of harassment by the security forces. [Abu Dhabi TV]Good… Your Excellency, regarding the issue of Al-Huthi, can we confirm Your Excellency that Abd-al-Malik al-Huthi was truly killed? [President Saleh]By God, I am not absolutely certain; however, the Al-Huthi’s media spokesman, Muhammad Abd-al-Salam, during his interview, referred to him [Al-Huthi] as the martyr Abd-al-Malik Al-Huthi, then tried to patch up the situation and referred to him by his name Abd-al-Malik al-Huthi or by the brother Abd-al-Malik al-Huthi. It is almost certain by 80 per cent that he is wounded; however, I do not know if he is in fact dead, because there is recurrent news concerning the truth of his death. The report, which is more than 80 per cent accurate, is that he is wounded in his hand and leg and was taken to a barricaded cave located in a cliff where his brother Husayn Badr-al-Din used to reside in. I am aware of this cave, for I was personally there two years ago. We will track every person who inflicts harm on the nation’s security and stability, and will persist on tracking them until the end. This war is not like the past wars; this sixth war is not like the previous five wars, for back then we used to end the war and say may God lead them to repent to God that they will repent and come back to their senses. We made these wishes while they were improving their situation. However, this time we will not allow them to arrange their agenda or their situation, we will go on and attack them until they submit, leave their weapons, refrain from violence, and hand their weapons over [to us]. [Abu Dhabi TV]Currently, is there coordination between you, your Excellency, and Saudi Arabia? [President Saleh]Yes, there is coordination between us and the Kingdom Saudi Arabia as regards to the security issue. They [Huthists] assaulted the Saudi lands to show their experience in fighting, and the fact that they are confronting the Yemeni Government and Saudi Arabia. They are guerilla forces and not a regular army, where ten elements are scattered in Tabbah, another ten elements are in Sa’ilah, five here and there. They are carrying out minor security disturbances and do not impose serious danger. [Abu Dhabi TV]Yes Your Excellency, concerning the support offered by the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] regarding the triangle of evil, do you think this support sufficient for the time being? [President Saleh]We thank each and every country in the GCC. Thanks to all the leaders of the GCC, many thanks to their offerings. Personal thanks to every country in the GCC for its support, and they know to whom this thanks is directed and who is generously supporting us. [Abu Dhabi TV]Your Excellency, this will be the last question. What is the status of the project you had presented in the early 2009 during the Kuwait Economic Conference pertaining to developing the Yemeni proposal on reforming the Arab League? [President Saleh]It is currently in the drawer of the General Secretariat. [Abu Dhabi TV]Will it be taken into consideration any time soon? [President Saleh]Hopefully [Abu Dhabi TV]Your Excellency, at the end of this interview, I would like to congratulate you for the great event that we will enjoy in 2010, which is the hosting of the Gulf 20 [Gulf Football Cup]. We will all be present here in Yemen to witness this historic event. [President Saleh]The preparations are in full swing and procedures and actions are going as planed in Aden. God willing, we will host and welcome you in Gulf 20. [Abu Dhabi TV]God willing, we cannot wait to watch the match between the UAE team and the Yemeni team in the finale. [President Saleh]God willing [Abu Dhabi TV]Your Excellency, many thanks for this interview. Our viewers, I would like to thank you on behalf of the programme’s crew. This is Yasir Abdullah from Abu Dhabi television, thank you very much. Thank you Your Excellency.Saba