Press Review [Archives:1999/49/Press Review]

Al-Wahdawi
(People’s Unionist Nasserites)
1) Sana’a Hints at Arbitration and Demands a Time Limit   A number of high Yemeni officials have hinted again towards arbitration as a way to solve the dispute with Saudi Arabia.
President Saleh and Prime Minister Abdul Karim Al-Eryani both hit hard at what Eryani considered as lagging and new infringements and erection of new positions in Yemeni lands by the Saudi side. The Saudi are also insisting on demands that contradict historical facts.
Both President Saleh and Dr. Al-Eryani called the current method of negotiations as ‘useless.’
These statements coincide with news of a negative escalation in the relations and several clashes with losses from both sides.
Al-Wahdawi has learned that the two soldiers who were martyred in clashes at Al-A’br were student conscripts. A number of injured soldiers were also treated at the Sana’a Military Hospital.
2) The American Ambassador might be changed
Al-Wahdawi has learned from Western Diplomatic sources that the American Ambassador to Yemen might be replaced in the near future because of a report on transparency in the Yemeni military.
Our sources indicated that the Clinton Administration was asked by the Congress Foreign Affairs Committee to transfer current Ambassador Ms. Barbara Bodiene from Sana’a after reports by her were considered misleading by the Committee on the subject of transparency in budget and expenditure of the Yemeni Ministry of Defense. Ms. Bodiene’s reports led to listing Yemen among states with less transparent military budgeting and expenditure after it was listed among countries who have no transparency in these aspects.
Ms. Bodiene has been accredited to Yemen for 30 months and replaced Mr. Newton who was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs.

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