Press Review [Archives:2000/25/Press Review]

Three subjects dominated the Yemeni media during the last week. President Saleh’s visit to Federal Germany, Hungary and Saudi Arabia dominated much of the media, especially as Yemen and Saudi Arabia signed a new treaty that brings an end to their 66-year old border dispute. Yemeni newspapers continued to cover exclusively the developments of the faculty of medicine crime. Finally, the death of Syrian president Hafez Al-Assad was also a topic that was covered by all Yemeni media.
Three newspapers joined the press community during the month. They are all weeklies. AN-NAHAR was reviewed last week, while AL-AKHBAR and AN-NASS are covered in this report.
AL-AKHBAR (Independent, weekly 8th June) reported in its first edition that Prince Sultan, the Saudi Minister of Defense and Aviation said that the border dispute between Yemen and Saudi Arabia is something ‘nominal’. He expressed hope that the subject would be concluded and a settlement reached during president Saleh’s visit next week to Saudi Arabia.
AL-MITHAQ (PGC, weekly 12th June) devoted its editorial to Saudi-Yemeni relations. The editorial said, “President Saleh’s visit to Saudi Arabia expresses the necessity of reaching a clear-cut agreement to the border dispute on the basis of a rule of no-losers”AL-MITHAQ added: “Both leaderships see that a solution of a historical kind should be reached, that it should materialize the hopes built on it and finally that it should be of the level that is hoped to open wide aspects for a fruitful cooperation that both peoples shall benefit from”.
In conclusion, AL-MITHAQ said, “the political leadership on both sides is wise enough to understand the objective need and necessity of recognizing the quick changes in our world in a way that serves the good of both countries”.
Practical Moves to Solve Border Dispute.
An Expected Solution to Border Problem.
AN-NASS (Independent, weekly 12th June) reported that “observers are optimistic about a possibility that an agreement can be reached during the summit held by President Saleh and the Saudi Crown Prince, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Yemeni politicians report that President Saleh is carrying practical proposals to solve the problem of the western borderline between Al-Thar Mountain and Al-Muwassam coastal point. They explained that these proposals were previously forwarded to the Saudi side but weren’t accepted by the Saudis. It is proposed that the Yemeni side agrees that Al-Thar Mountain remains unarmed, so as not to be of any danger to the town of Najran. Media sources carried unconfirmed reports that President Saleh and Prince Sultan had met secretly in Germany during the President’s recent visit last week. Both men had reached an agreement regarding the borderline between Oman in the east and Al-Thar Mountain”.
However, AN-NAS added that “opposition sources underrate the summit saying that relations are unstable, and can’t be fathomed by just depending on statements made by their officials. These sources demonstrated that every time progress was reported, it was followed by an escalation of tension and positions. They consider probable that the summit shall limit itself to the mere expression of goodwill and the hope of reaching a negotiated settlement, especially as arrangements are being made for the official transfer of power to Crown Prince Abdullah”.
ATTARIQ (Independent, weekly13th June) which reported the signature of the treaty didn’t have any comments.
Saudi – Yemeni Treaty:
Observers Take by Surprise
However AL-WAHDAWI (People’s Unionist Nasserite Organization, weekly 13th June) said “first-hand reports indicate that the treaty shall open the door wide, solve many internal problems and bring new life to bilateral relations. This is based on the belief that Saudi Arabia shall implement all articles of the Taif Treaty which organizes economical relation and labor movement in addition to the border issue”.
AL-WAHDAWI, however, quoted “observers as believing that the implementation of the new treaty shan’t exceed the border issue, as the Saudi side insist on not linking other issues to the border, as was the case when the border with Oman was settled”.
“The Yemeni people shall be disappointed if after all the delay the treaty proves to satisfy Saudi interests only”.
Another story run by AL-WAHDAWI quoted an “official source at the People’s Unionist Nasserite Organization as welcoming the treaty ‘if it proves its ability to solve’ lingering problems between Sana’a and Riyadh and demanding that the whole text be published. Our final position towards the treaty shall be announced after a thorough study of the treaty when it is published”.
A short editorial by AL-AYYAM (Independent, thrice a week 14th June) welcomed the treaty saying that “everybody, especially Yemenis living abroad and in particular those living in Saudi Arabia are joyful. They hope that the treaty shall bring them good and open a wide range of cooperation between Yemen and Saudi Arabia in development, investment, culture and media”AL-AYYAM added that “brave and prompt acts are expected from President Saleh on the reform of government apparatus to precede or concur with the treaty in order to boost the trust of local, Arab and foreign investors”AL-AYYAM devoted a full page to the speech of a British Minister of State at the 56th session of the International Committee of Human Rights because of its importance.
Ex-president Ali Nasser Mohammed was asked by AL-AYYAM about his opinion on the signing of the border treaty. In his answer, Mr. Mohammed expressed his belief that the move is a conclusion of the policy of the peaceful settlement of border disputes which had begun with Saudi Arabia”.
Yemen-Saudi Border Treaty:
A Historical Achievement.
AL-WAHDAH (Official, weekly 14th June) devoted its editorial to this important development in the Saudi-Yemeni bilateral relation. It also reported that Yemeni opposition parties are seeking an audience with President Saleh in order to be ‘acquainted with the basic contents of the treaty’. AL-WAHDAH’s sources added “opposition parties fear that Yemen might have been done injustice by the treaty in a way similar to the 1995 Note of Understanding in which Yemen made big concessions. As the topic relates to the sovereignty of Yemen and isn’t restricted to the policies of the ruling party, all parties and political forces are concerned”.
President on Border Treaty:
A New Era in Saudi-Yemeni Relations.
AL-SAHWA (Islah Party, weekly 15th June) reported the signature of the treaty and manifested the statements of President Saleh on the Issue. Neither AL-SAHWA nor the Islah Party (Islamic opposition, second party in Parliament) commented on this important development. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmar, Chairman of the Islah party and Speaker of Parliament is currently visiting Scandinavia. Other important occasions such as the death of President Assad of Syria and next week’s anniversary of the birth of Prophet Mohamed also helped to distract attention.
AL-SAHWAH published the full report of the Parliamentarian Committee on the Faculty of Medicine crimes.
AL-THAWRI (Yemeni Socialist Party, weekly 15th June) reported that an official source at the Socialist party head quarters said, when asked about the party’s position on the treaty: “The treaty has to be studied. It is demanded that the government publishes the whole official text so that all political parties and the masses of the people can make their positions on the bases of sound information and not on rumors”.
Local, Arab and International Welcome to Border Treaty
26TH SEPTEMBER (Armed Forces Journal, Weekly 15th June) reported that President Saleh has called upon Saudi and Yemeni businessmen to avail themselves of available exemptions privileges and facilities and implement development projects in Yemen. The call came during a meeting between them and President Saleh at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
In a special statement to 26TH SEPTEMBER, Mr. Abdullah Ghanem, the Minister of Legal and Parliament Affairs stressed that Yemen and Saudi Arabia had made a great achievement. Adding that the treaty satisfies the legitimate aspirations and rights of both peoples, Mr. Ghanem said the treaty confirms the legitimacy and obligatory nature of the Taif Treaty of 1934″AL-JAMAHEER (Ba’ath Party, weekly 14th June) devoted most of its edition to the death of the Syrian president, Hafez Assad.
Other Interesting Stories
Al-Thaqafiyah Threatened
AL-OSBOA’ (Independent, weekly 15th June) reported that the Islah party Secretary General Mr. Mohammed Al-Yadumi had threatened during a phone call with the Chief Editor to close the cultural magazine AL-THAQAFIYAH because it republished “Sana’a, An Open City” because the writer is a communist and an infidel”.
“Many Yemeni journalists and intellectuals declared their solidarity with AL-THAQAFIYAH”.
Khawlan Tribe Apologizes
AL-OSBOA’ reported that “work at the commercial court went back to normal after its sessions were suspended early last week in protest of a tribal aggression last month. Sheikh Ali As-Salahi had threatened lawyers, judges and an account expert while the court was looking into a dispute in which the Saba Hotel Company was involved. Companions of the Sheikh closed the gates of the court and didn’t allow the lawyers to leave, and hinted they might kidnap the expert.””A delegation from Khawlan tribe visited the Ministry of Justice and the Court to apologize for what happened”.
To Safeguard Brotherly Relations
AL-EHYA’A AL-ARABI (Ba’ath Party pro-Iraq faction, weekly 12th June) reports that in the aftermath of forwarding applications by the Yemeni Ministry of Immigrants, for the compensation for “those who are called victims of the 2nd Gulf War Iraqi trade unions and mass organizations wrote to their parallel Yemeni organizations”. The Iraqi letter that was published by the newspaper asked “that pressure be mounted on the concerned authorities to convince them to withdraw these applications, as they are forged and fully contradict with the warm relations between Yemen and Iraq”!!
A New Group of Israeli Tourists.
Both AL-UMMAH and AN-NASS report that “a new group of Israelis has arrived in Yemen.” AL-UMMAH however said that “sources estimate that each Israeli tourist pays $20,000 to Yemeni Tourist operators, of which he gets 50% from the Israeli government.
 

——
[archive-e:25-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-06-19-p:./2000/iss25/press.htm]