Unprofessional media causes diplomatic dismay [Archives:2007/1034/Local News]
SANA'A, 18 March ) Dr. Mustafa Hwaidi charge de affairs of the Libyan embassy in Sana'a expressed his dismay at the “unprofessional media” which carried news of a lawsuit against Muammar Al-Qadhafi, Libyan President. “It is not reasonable at all, the relations between Yemen and Libya are good and the evidence of our support for Yemen's development are visible everywhere in the hospitals, roads, residence compounds tc”, said Hwaidi. Hwaidi was upset at the lack of serious response from Yemeni authorities. According to Hwaidi, “The actions of the media go against the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. How does Yemeni authority allow such mockery especially when it attacks the person of an Arab leader? Our foreign minister has recently visited Yemen and was received warmly by President Saleh, who I think is genuinely interested in promoting relations between the two countries”.
The Libyan embassy sent clips of the news to Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Ali Al-Ghafari, director of the Arab Unity Department at the Ministry, acknowledged the issue and brought it to the Minister of Foreign Affairs' attention. Al-Thawra newspaper and Saba News Agency published Allawo's refutation against what was published in Akhbar Al-Yaum on the 26 September.
The General Attorney led by lawyer and human rights advocate Moahhamed Naji Allawo called on Allawo Corp in response to a request for legal proceedings against the Libyan President regarding the plantation of 12 million mines in Yemen. The case was filed by lawyer Mohammed Ali Allawo who is member of the prominent committee of the ruling party, the GPC in Al-Baydha governorate. Because of the similarity in the names, the General Attorney assumed this was a case raised by the Corp. News of this case was published in several media, both official and private.
“These are dirty games cooked in the security kitchen which does not have a clear united national policy,” said Khalid Al-Anisi Executive Director of Allawo Corp.
“Not only does such news upset relations with the Libyan Republic, it also defames Allawo Corp and highlights the lack of professionalism in some Yemeni newspapers”, he continued.
The mines in question, which actually number less than 7 million, were used as part of the opposition movement by what was then known as the National Front opposition against Saleh's rule in the 1980s in North Central Yemen. Currently there are several local and international organisations working on clearing the mine fields. “This is an old file that has been closed as now all authorities have been merged under the rule of one country, the Republic of Yemen. It is ridiculous to file a case against Libya about something that was done by Yemeni movements in the 80s. It is like filing a case against yourself”, added Al-Anisi.
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