News Reports on Possible Normalization with Israel [Archives:2000/29/Local News]

Three weeks ago a meeting was held in Cyprus between Yemeni businessmen and Jews for studying potentialities to attract western capitals for investment in Yemen, Yemeni press sources disclosed here.
The sources added that to avoid local reaction which may obstruct its implementation, the news of this meeting was cloaked with secrecy. The meeting is believed to have taken place between two prominent Yemeni businessmen residing abroad and Israeli investors over investment in Aden Free Zone, the sources said.
These sources further maintained that the two Yemeni businessmen are reported to have struck commercial deals with Israeli companies. Both have good relations with the Zionist lobby in Moscow and Washington. One of these Yemenis was until recently an ambassador to a western Europe state and , during the Summer 1994 battles, signed deals in favour of local parties which ,in turn, facilitated wider scope of relations with arm dealers in Russia, the Ukraine and other western states. It is understood that the former Yemeni diplomat recently visited Israel together with a number of Russian Jews entrepreneurs.
Normalization of relations with Israel has become a controversial subject among the Yemeni public and is being received with resentment, the sources said.
The sources recalled that during his press conferences and interviews the Yemeni President has always reiterated his refusal of normalization of relations with Israel.

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