Opposition Condemns Government’s Participation in WTO Meeting in Doha [Archives:2001/46/Front Page]

The Yemeni opposition parties condemned the government’s decision to take part in the WTOFourth Ministerial Meeting, which will conclude today in Doha with the participation of Israel. The opposition described Yemen’s participation as a political hypocrisy that undermines the Palestinian issue and contradicts the government’s statements calling for boycotting all forms of contact with Israel, which is committing atrocities against the Palestinian people. The sources said the participation is a betrayal of the Intifadah and treason to the primary concern of Arabs. Mr. Hatem Abu Hatem, head of the Committee Against Normalization with Israel, expressed surprise at the government’s decision to take part in the meeting while it was openly calling for mobilization for jihad and providing the Intifadah with weapons. He called for disclosing the dual policy of the government which seeks to establish secret contacts with Israel.
Minister of Industry and Trade, Abdulrahman Othman, head of the Yemeni delegation to meeting, said Yemen’s participation aims to show the steps Yemen has taken so far to join the WTO. Official sources said that previously, Yemen wouldn’t take part in the meeting if it was attended by Israel, but it seems pressure was put upon the government to attend the event. The European Union is providing Yemen with both financial and technical assistance to help it join the WTO.

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