Annas [Archives:2004/733/Press Review]

26 Apr 2004
Main headlines
– A GPC leading member: Those demanding reforms are secessionists
– Sheikh Hussein Omer bin Mahfoudh under arrest
– Yemeni students abroad facing financial crisis
– A father kills his son in Radhmah and a wife kills her mother in law in the capital
– Iraqi economic expert: Iraq needs investments estimated at about 40 billion dollars to qualify its oil sector
– On selling 60% of oil sector 53, The government assails the Oil Committee and MPs threaten by a vote of non-confidence
– Journalists solidarity with the Palestinian people

Columnist Shaker Ahmed Khalid says in an article the Saudi statements on the increasing numbers of Yemeni infiltrators to its territories by 150 thousands during the past three months have burst many questions on the social and economic dimensions of Yemenis migration in a fearful increase. These dimensions are seen by social circles as coming as a reflection of the Yemeni situation, which is economically is characterized by stagnation and growing structural failures and performance weakness of economic sectors because of imbalance policies and the weakness of saving rates and investment as well as the rise in rates of poverty, inflation, unemployment and migration of national capital. Added to those are the administrative complications, weakness of security and judiciary and corruption of administration and misuse of resources. All that creates circumstances that would not help growth and would not support indicators of economic stability.
In addition to that the government economic policies have failed to accomplish the second phase of the economic reform program, embodied by creating economic stability capable of positive rate of economic growth and improving the citizens standard of living. Under these deteriorating situations the government insists on more of the policies that would double the deterioration of the economic and social situation of the Yemenis. the eye-catching thing in those latest Saudi statements is that they came coinciding with meeting of the follow-up committee emerged from the Yemeni-Saudi Coordination Council in its third session that discussed the movement of goods transport between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh has also lately announced the confiscation of large quantities of weapons, ammunition and drugs on the borders between the two countries and continuously condemned the attempts of infiltration and smuggling of drugs and weapons across its borders with Yemen.
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