Yemeni-British Relations: Where to? Final Part [Archives:2000/26/Law & Diplomacy]

Part 2 and Final
From YT: “In the 1990s, Yemeni-British Relations witnessed several ups and downs. It is with great delight that we currently witness a positive improvement in the relations during the last few months. Here we bring the second and final part of the article providing some excerpts from the valuable report by Dr. Mohamed Abdulmajeed Al-Qubati giving an insight to Yemeni-British Relations.”Encouraging Indicators on Relations Improvement
BP Concession
The BP company’s success in maintaining its concession of supplying Aden airport with fuel and oil in early 1999 was an indicator of new progress in the course of Yemeni-British relations. The BP Aviation department has maintained the concession of supplying fuel and oils at Aden International Airport since before the independence of Aden from Britain. That concession continued even after the southern government regained its possession of Aden refinery in the late seventies of the last century until after the Yemeni unity.
Convening of Emerging Democracies in Sana’a
The British government’s direct support for the Emerging Democracies Forum held in Sana’a and the indirect support through the Westminister Organization for Democratic Development, was one of the early indicators of a new breakthrough in Yemeni-British relations.
Six Commonwealth countries participating in the 16-state forum reviewed the generous British support for the forum as well as that of Canada, the second-most economically-strong commonwealth member state. Despite the British warning against Britons’ travel to Yemen, a three-man British delegation took part in the Forum in addition to members of the British Embassy staff and the British Cultural Council.
British Premier’s Letter to President Saleh
The written congratulatory message from he British Prime Minister to President Ali Abdulla Saleh on his winning the presidential elections was an initiative that had far-reaching implications. Some of the phrases contained in the letter may reflect those indications. The British Prime Minister expressed the hope that the two governments would be able to maintain efforts for consolidating the close ties characteristic of the long-standing relations between the two countries.
Other Encouraging Indicators
The visit to Sana’a in early November 1999 by the British foreign office head of Mideast and North Africa Sector was a good indicator of improving bilateral Yemeni-British relations. It also represented an attempt to promote mutual interests and potential opportunities. The arrival in Yemen of a big tourist delegation representing the British-Yemeni Society in January 2000 also ushered in a new era of improvement in relations. The arrival of the British-Yemeni Friendship Society on a three-week visit, touring various tourist cities and sites has been testimony to peace and safety prevailing in Yemen. It also indicated that the British government warning against traveling to Yemen was an exaggerated apprehension. British businessmen and companies had announced that they were losing many trade and investment opportunities due to that warning, urging the British-Yemeni society to clarify the current situation in Yemen to the British government and businessmen.
Prospects of improvement in relations were also enhanced through the participation of a British official delegation in the celebrations of Yemen unity. Under the joint sponsorship of the British Council and their American counterpart a conference for English language teachers will be held in Yemen next October and there are indications that the British Council’s education activities and programs will be revived in July. In addition, the Yemeni cities of Sana’a, Aden and Taiz will in November this year witness activities of the British Week. A large exhibition of Yemeni handicrafts will be held in London in summer this year.
Yemeni-British Relations: Common Interests
Many would be surprised when told that Britain is the biggest economic investor in Yemen, especially in oil and mineral explorations, in developing Aden refinery and the free zone. They do not know that Britain comes in the second place after the U.S. in investment in Yemen. Until 1996 the British companies had concessions in 12 out of 23 oil exploration sectors and thus Britain is rightly considered the biggest investor in oil in Yemen. In the field of minerals exploration the British companies had the biggest share of the concessions. British companies were till the end of 1993 granted concessions of seven sites out of twelve.
Commercial Partnership
In spite of fluctuations in diplomatic relations between Yemen and Britain, the latter has along the past ten years maintained its position as one of Yemen’s five major exporting countries. In 1998, for instance, the value of British direct exports to Yemen amounted to $100 million, i.e., 5% of the total imports of Yemen. British statistics point out that Britain’s direct exports to Yemen in 1998 reached about 78 million pounds, that is more than $ 130 million. This gives it the distinction as the third largest exporting country to Yemen after the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This also means that Britain has retained this place since 1990.
British Assistance to Yemen
In response to a question in the British Parliament, the Secretary of International Cooperation said the major portion of development aid to Yemen was through the British contribution within the World Bank and as part of European Union aid. As for the bilateral program, it concentrated on priorities of the Yemeni government for economic recovery and that included support for the World Bank program for reviving Aden port. As for the projects funded within the partnership plan, the British aid supports local non-governmental organizations and small population groupings.
Yemen-US-British Strategic Partnership
Dismantlement of the former Soviet Union and the end of the cold war has seen the beginning of a new era for the US world military strategy. The fact is that the 2nd Gulf war and all axes of military action after the end of the cold war and within the new world order, confirm the extent of the strategic military connection between the United States and Britain. In a speech addressed to British businessmen and industrialists, prime minister Tony Blair talked about the principles of British foreign policy. He said that they were strong in Europe and strong with the United States. “Our aim must be deepening our relationship with the US at all levels.” Mr. Blair added that they were the connecting bridge between America and Europe and “let’s use that bridge”. He said “when Britain and America would work together on the international stage, there was nothing they could not do.”From these words of the British prime minister it could be concluded that in the post-cold war world, the British and American interests have become interwoven under an echelon that could be termed the Anglo-Saxon interests. Yemen has , therefore, to understand that its strategic partnership with America should inevitably be part of the American-British military partnership and, consequently, mean an implied strategic partnership with Britain. Yemen is the most important country on the Arab Sea and, as a result, perhaps, the most important regional partner within the new frame of the American-British global military strategy.
Yemen & The Commonwealth
The warm welcome and hospitality President Ali Abdulla Saleh received during his recent visit to Canada has attracted special attention from diplomatic observers. What particularly caught their attention was the nature of the joint communique of the Canadian premier at the end of the visit in which he pointed out Canada’s strong support for Yemen’s endeavors to join the Commonwealth. Yemen’s attempt to join the Commonwealth is also strongly supported by South Africa. The two countries issued statements in the wake of Yemen’s deputy foreign minister’s statement in early September 1998 expressing Yemen’s desire for continuing its efforts to secure a membership of the commonwealth. This came a year after the Commonwealth Summit in Edinburgh deliberated on previous Yemeni requests on the matter. By entering the Commonwealth, Yemen would enhance not only its partnership with Britain, Europe and America, but its status would also be enhanced in the global platform advocating democracy and human rights. Yemen is currently working hard in this direction.
Conclusion
Geopolitical facts give Yemen more than one advantage. To safeguard its interests in Yemen, Britain has to consider seriously what happens in Yemen, paying attention to various aspects of development and stability in it. This makes it imperative for policy and decision-makers in both countries to study with open minds various complicated facets governing the course of the two countries’ relations. They have to take into account the fact that the developments occurred after the end of the cold war and after the Yemeni government’s commitment to trigger democratic changes which have added new dimensions to the relationship between the two countries. The two parties have thus to understand that building strong and growing relations based on positive partnership needs a more flexible approach, getting rid of negative visions inherited from the past.

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