Al-Wahdawi [Archives:2005/805/Press Review]
4 January 2005
Main headlines
– NUO secretary-General calls on GPC MPs to stand with opposition blocs against the dose
– Political parties, trade unions and other mass organizations call on the people to stand up to the dose
– YR 26 million, violations at Hudeida customs
Writer Ahmed Saeed says in an article the president has recently received visiting American general John Abi Zaid in his second visit to Yemen since last September.
Observers have considered that many issues were on top of Abi Zaid's agenda, most important is the question of security stability in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa region in addition to security coordination in fighting terrorism and areas of training and qualification. The agenda would also focus on exchange of information, amid news on security apparatus arrest of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated dormant cell.
The visit comes following conclusion of Sana'a Gathering summit last week in Khartoum. It has been hoped that the Yemeni initiative concerning Eritrea's accession to the tripartite grouping be accepted.
At the time Eritrea is trying, through its desire to join Sana'a Grouping, signing peace accords with Sudan and Ethiopia and breaking the state of regional isolation it is experiencing, political sides in Addis Ababa and Khartoum are still ruling out removal of long long-lived tension with Asmara.
Meanwhile, Ethiopian opposition parties have early this week intensified their political and popular activities to foment the masses against the peace initiative launched by Addis Ababa for ending borders disputes with Eritrea.
American-Western interests in the Red Sea impose on the region's countries many commitments towards the Western presence. Among them are ending tension and guaranteeing security stability in the region. Abi Zaid's visit to Sana'a has coincided with a visit by the Yemeni foreign minister to Eritrea, which observers have described as “blitz and unsuccessful.”
It is more probable that the American general would try to bridge the gap among the region's countries and end their disputes in precaution to any events that may affect the situation of the US navy force by Al-Qaeda elements.
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