A Bumpy Road Ahead for  Yemeni-British Relations [Archives:1999/17/Local News]

Mr. Robin Cook, British Foreign Minister, ordered the shut-down of the British Council offices in Sanaa and Aden. The British decision is said to reflect the unhappy mood in London regarding the less than adequate (read, honest) response from Yemeni authorities regarding the on-going differences on legal and procedural matters concerning the trial of the Britons in Aden.
On the same issue, close relatives of the Britons jailed in Yemen have been refused entry visas to come and attend the trial and offer comfort to their loved ones. These include Mrs. Tasweer Begum, mother of Ghulam Hussain, and two of his brothers. They also include Souad & Nadia Ghailan, aunts of Mohsin Ghailan.
Mrs. Monica Davies, wife of one of the accused, was the only one allowed back into the country after direct intervention from Dr. Abdul-Karim Al-Iryani, Prime Minister, following her repeated appeals. She sounded very frustrated in her letter to him. “I converted to Islam and saw a beautiful way of life and a religion that brings up good people with values. This is the first time I have had to go to people for help, and I find that the people giving me the most difficulty and problems are Muslims. I ask myself why?”
Along the same lines, a delegation of British investigators is in Yemen to gather information on the connection of British nationals to international terrorism.
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