Speech of H. E. President Saleh on the occasion of 17th anniversary of the National Day of the establishment of the Republic of Yemen

IN THE NAME OF GOD، MOST GRACIOUS، MOST MERCIFUL Praise be to Allah، the Cherisher and Sustained of the Worlds May prayers and peace be upon the prophet Mohamed Dear Fellow Citizens in Yemen and abroad.

It is my pleasure to express my best wishes and greetings on the 17th. anniversary of the national day of the establishment of the Republic of Yemen on the 22nd. May. Our celebration on this national occasion comes after a year which is full of great achievements and accomplishments at all walks of life. Our people took part in the democratic and constitutional exercise represented in the presidential and local councils’ elections، which were held in competitive، free and honest way recognized and praised by everyone inside and outside Yemen.

IMPLEMENTING DEVELOPMENT GOALS

On the development process، efforts were accelerated for the achievement of numerous and big productive، service and strategic projects. Inauguration and laying down of foundation stones for development projects at the cost of 426 billion rials would take place during our celebrations on this occasion. Within the framework of its effective partnership with brotherly and friendly countries on top of which the brotherly states of the GCC، our country has been able to get five billion US dollar as financial pledges from donors during the London conference which was held in November last year. We are looking forward that the donors would fulfil their commitments for the implementation of strategic projects to alleviate sufferings of poverty and unemployment and create new job opportunities for citizens. The government should move forward for the interpretation of aspired goals of construction in accordance of its programme through which it received vote of confidence from the parliament. It should also complete administrative، economic and financial reforms within the framework of the national reforms matrix and implementing the electoral programme of the President of the Republic. The government should find out effective mechanisms to control and monitor prices and combat high prices and monopoly in a way that would guarantee stable level of living standards for citizens. The government should also give more attention and care for investment issues، provide attractive and appropriate investment circumstances and simplify measures through one stop shop that is the General Investment Authority and according to the results of the Investment Opportunities Conference which was held in Sana’a last April. We and the government would give special attention and care for investment issues.

DEMOCRACY AND NATIONAL CONSOLIDATION Dear Fellow Citizens

The victory of unity coincided with the democratic policy based on multi-party system، political pluralism، freedom of expression and opinions، freedom of the press، women empowerment and respect of human rights. In this field our country has achieved an advanced stride in an embodiment of the people’s ruling their own affairs through peaceful succession of power and ballot boxes. We have learnt a lot from the school of democracy. We call upon all effective political parties and organizations in the national arena to conduct a responsible dialogue on all issues of concern to the homeland and its future. We would give care and follow up such dialogue in order to come out with results that achieve supreme national interest. We call on all citizens for further cohesion and national consolidation for the enhancement of the national unity and combating all forms of separation and extremism، stirring malice، malevolence and hatred among citizens. In this regard، all media، cultural and educational apparatuses should play its national role to enhance positives and denounce negatives، mobilize efforts for the national construction process، build up a new well-educated generation free of the past’s remnants of the Imamate rule، colonial and separation eras.

DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL AUTHORITY Dear Fellow Citizens

One of our priorities during the coming period is the enhancement of the democratic experience through the adoption of some constitutional amendments for the establishment of two legislative chambers and improvement of the local councils’ experience and expanding the councils’ authorities. On this occasion، we urge the government and the parliament to quickly pass the law of the local authority’s development to insure decentralization، election of governors and heads of administrative units. We also urge the government and the parliament to complete measures of the establishment of the National Authority to Combat Corruption and the issuance of the Tendering Law. We call on the legislative and judicial authorities and the auditing and monitoring apparatus to play their roles in punishing all those who misuse public funds.

HIGH EVALUATION OF THE HEROIC FIGHTERS AND THEIR CONFRONTATIONS WITH TERRORISTS Dear Fellow Citizens

Personnel of the Armed and Security Forces We greet you and highly evaluate your dear scarf ices and generous giving for the defence and protection of the homeland، its sovereignty، security، stability and the preservation of its accomplishments and achievements. We highly evaluate your and all honest citizens’ heroic confrontation against those terrorist elements which broke out sedition in some of areas in the province of Sa’ada and want to over throw the republican regime and take the homeland back to the eras of oppression and tyranny of the primitive Imamate rule.

The state has and is still exerting all efforts to stop blood shed and convince those terrorist elements who broke law and order to stop their acts of terror and sabotage. We announced general amnesty twice following the break out of the sedition in both Maran and Al-Rozamat. Restoration process of damages resulted by the war in Maran and Al-Rozamat took place while prisoners on charges of breaking out the sedition were released. Several mediation teams were sent to those elements to convince them come down from their strongholds in mountains، hand over their heavy and medium weapons، abandon killing of citizens and personnel of the armed and security forces، stop acts of sabotage on public and private installations and end banditry. But they continued on their diverted and subversive path. Therefore، honest citizens in Sa’ada، religious clerks، Sheikhs، social dignitaries، youths and all citizens should carry out their responsibilities in addition to the duties of the armed and security forces in confronting those terrorists and saboteurs who defamed the heroic history of the citizens of Sa’ada province. On this occasion we renew our call to the misled elements to abide by the decision of the National Defence Council and the statement of the Yemeni religious scholars ( clerks ) to surrender and hand over their heavy and medium weapons to the government. We would guarantee a fair trial for them as a result of the war crimes they committed against citizens and personnel of the armed and security forces and damages they inflicted to development in Sa’ada province and the homeland in general.

ONGOING MODERNIZATION OF THE DEFENSIVE AND SECURITY NATIONAL INSTITUTION

Dear brothers in the armed and security forces، we are fully confident that as you have achieved victory for the revolution، the Republic and unity، you along with all honest citizens of the homeland would achieve shortly God willing victory and wipe out that sedition، uproot those who were behind it، enhance security، stability and public tranquillity in Sa’ada province in particular and the homeland in general. Dear brothers of the armed and security forces We would continue providing care and support for families of martyrs، wounded and handicapped in the armed and security forces as well as volunteers from citizens in an appreciation and recognition of the great sacrifices and national duty they provided. We would continue the process of building up and modernization of the armed and security forces to enhance the defensive and security capabilities. Personnel of this great national institution would receive all care and support in order to raise their living standards and improve their educational qualifications to cope with modern changes.

A CALL FOR FURTHER ARAB SOLIDARITY Dear Fellow Citizens Dear Fellow Arabs and Muslims

The current challenges facing our nation require unity of ranks، enhancement of solidarity، integration and coordination to encounter security، development and cultural challenges and combat radicalism، extremism and terrorism. We renew our call to reactivate mechanisms of the joint Arab work، the establishment of the Arab and Islamic Common Market and the establishment of two Arab and Islamic Funds to finance the implementation of development projects in Arab and Islamic countries. Arab and Islamic efforts should be consolidated to take advantage of the nuclear power for peaceful purposes especially for the generation of electricity.

RENEW OUR SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

Dear brothers we feel regretful for developments in the occupied Palestine. It is our duty to stand with our brothers in Palestine to end the siege imposed on them and support their legitimate struggle to regain their rights including the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on its national soil with Al-Quds ( Jerusalem ) as its capital and insuring the right to return for refugees. We call on the international community on top of which the United States of America and the UN Security Council permanent member-states to exercise pressure on Israel to accept the Arab peace initiative which was adopted by the Arab summit in Beirut and reconfirmed by the Riyadh summit. The initiative represents the minimum level for the achievement of just and everlasting peace in the region.

SITUATIONS IN IRAQ، SOMALIA AND DARFUR

We reiterate that accepting the initiative and the establishment of the Palestinian state would contribute in resolving many of the most complicated and hot issues and problems in the region. We in the Republic of Yemen follow up with concern developments in the brotherly Republic of Iraq. We call for holding national reconciliation conference as soon as possible among all Iraqi parties with their different political، social and cultural trends in order to maintain security and peace in Iraq، end occupation and build up a democratic، free and independent Iraq. We renew our call to stand with the people in the brotherly Somalia who have been exhausted by the war and to support efforts of the transitional government for the achievement of reconciliation and peace in Somalia and reconstruction of the state’s institutions. We highly evaluate efforts exerted by the brotherly Republic of Sudan to resolve the problem of Darfur. In the meantime we reaffirm our support for Sudan، its sovereignty، unity and stability.

HIGH AMBITIONS Dear Fellow Yemeni Citizens

We are very proud of all great accomplishments and changes which were achieved for our people thanks to the giving of all honest citizens. However، national ambitions and aspirations would remain high and big in order to achieve more and more on the path of building up the new Yemen. The Yemen of the 26th. September، the 14th. October and the 22nd. May. The Yemen of dignity، freedom، unity and democracy. Once again we express best wishes and congratulations. We pray Almighty Allah to render to the homeland’s martyrs all mercy and forgiveness and to guide us to the righteous path.

Happy Many Returns May Peace and Mercy of God be Upon You.