Security agreement annulled [Archives:2003/04/Front Page]

The German Ambassador to Yemen, Mr. Wrener Zemprich said Thursday that the Yemeni-German Agreement on exchange of criminals had been annulled years ago. At a press conference held by the German and French ambassadors to mark the 40th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty Mr. Zemprich said that the security agreement signed between former Peoples’ Democratic Republic of Yemen and East Germany in 1971 was made invalid upon the German unification in 1990. He pointed out that the two countries agreed on January 8, 1992 to abolish the agreement and since then it has become off work.
A Yemeni official source last week denied the statement made by the German Ministry of Justice Spokesman that the agreement did no longer exist and that Germany was responsible before Yemen if it turns over Mohammed al-Mouyad and his companion to the US. The Yemeni official said the agreement was still valid till today. The two Yemeni citizens are being held by the German authorities upon the US request for they are suspected of being al-Qaeda financiers.
The German ambassador clearly said everything is now in the hands of the German court which can decide with the evidence provided to it by the USA whether the two Yemeni citizens are to be turned over to the US or brought back to Yemen.
The German court is still waiting US evidence on connection of the two persons with al-Qaeda. He pointed out that the security team visit which was scheduled on Tuesday has been postponed for health problems of the head of the delegation and that it will be made some time later, without giving a specific date. He said the visit was arranged for before the al-Mouyad case. However, he said this issue will top the talks of the two sides when the visit is made. The team headed by deputy minister of interior was reported that it would visit al-Ehsan center and probe into its activities.
The release demands of al-Mouyad, an Islah leading member, were stepped up last week. The Islah party women department staged a woman demonstration last Wednesday to the German Embassy, demanding the German authorities to set him and his companion free. Around 3000 women protested their arrest and denounced that behavior on the part of Germany. The protesters lifted posters and banners denouncing terrorism and demanding his immediate release. They demanded the Yemeni government to continue pressuring the Germans to set him free.
A similar protest was made last Sunday organized by the women popular committee in defence of al-Mouyad. The protesters also called for raising money to defend al-Mouyad of whom Yemeni official sources said was trapped to go to Germany so as to meet a US benefactor who would support Al-Ehsan charitable center of al-Mouyad.
A German Die Velt newspaper wrote in a recent issue that Al-Mouyad did not travel to Germany for medical treatment but it was a trap designed by the American Investigations, and that the FBI had persuaded a Yemeni man that there is an American Muslim who wants to donate $25 million to be used for terrorist acts in the Middle East. And that the amount will be invested for the benefit of Al-Qaeda and for Hammas Movement in Palestine.
The Yemeni government said it repeatedly demanded that they should be sent back to Yemen and that they would be tried if proven guilty or having links to al-Qaeda.
The statement of the German ambassador concerning the abolition of the security agreement indicates that the Germans will have a strong justification if they turn al-Mouyad and his companion to the US in case they are proved guilty. The German ambassador told the protesters that “Germany is bound by international treaties” in this regard.
The French and German ambassadors to Yemen highlighted in the press conference the Elysee Treaty significance to their two countries. The French ambassador said France and Germany have a matching projects and activities in Yemen in terms of supporting the poverty alleviation programs and other development projects. A film on the steps to this treaty was shown to the audience at the Yemen cultural center. A reception was then held and attended by a number of diplomats and media people.

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