From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed May 26 2010 - 09:19:51 EDT
Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Yemeni Premier Ali Mujawwar
26/05/2010
By Sawsan Abu-Husain
Taiz, Asharq Al-Awsat- Yemeni Prime Minister Ali Muhammad Mujawwar has
emphasized the importance of the proposal for dialogue which President Ali
Abdullah Saleh put forward to all political forces for agreement on a
comprehensive reform program to boost economic development and stability in
Yemen. In an interview with Asharq al-Awsat in Taiz, he said that the
Southern Mobility Movement [SMM] represents merely biased voices who will
not succeed in harming Yemen's unity. He said that Aden, which is located in
the southern part of the country, has benefited from unity in terms of
economic development 10 times more than it did before the unification. He
stressed the importance of settling the file of the Huthist (rebels), noting
that the reports prepared by the committees entrusted with implementing the
six points [of the cease-fire agreement] indicate that the Huthists are
stalling over delivering the maps of the minefields and over reopening
roads. He praised Saudi Arabia's role in backing Yemen's unity and
stability. He also spoke of Yemen's efforts to curtail the Al-Qaeda
organization's activities through preemptive strikes.
The following full text of the interview follows:
[Asharq Al-Awsat] How would you explain the active demonstrations that take
place in the southern part of the country? Will they affect instability?
Will we see an end to the tension and conflicts that threaten Yemen's unity?
[Mujawwar] Yemen is pulsating with unity. Today, we celebrate the 20th
anniversary of unity in Taiz Governorate, a place that has a noble history
of support for unity. As we celebrate the unity anniversary today, we
emphasize that unity is in good shape and that the situation is stable. All
that is happening is merely isolated voices that have nothing to do with
Yemeni society. Those people will continue to raise their voices, but they
will not dissuade our people from defending their unity and sovereignty,
because the masses realize that Yemen has become bigger through unity and
has now occupied a place among the world's nations and peoples. Yemen has
also made major strides in various fields of economic development, thanks to
its unity which Yemen will defend.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] In his speech marking the unity anniversary, President Ali
Abdullah Saleh put forward three proposals revolving around initiating a
dialogue, forming a national unity government, and completing the economic
development projects; has the government made preparations to implement
these proposals?
[Mujawwar] President Saleh's speech is clear in terms of the important
messages it sends, which focuses on explaining numerous stances, notably his
adherence to dialogue and his constant call for a comprehensive dialogue,
because Yemen's unity, stability, and security concern all parties to
political action, not only the (ruling) General People's Congress. President
Saleh's call means that there is a need for the agreement of all political
forces on the importance of Yemen's unity first and foremost, and for
activating the agenda of the dialogue aimed at reforming the political and
electoral systems. Yemen's national constants will be high on the list of
the agenda of reform and boosting development programs. When the dialogue
ends, a joint national unity government can be formed even though the
majority of seats in the parliament are occupied by the General People's
Congress. Despite this, President Saleh realizes the importance of
participation and partnership in running the country's affairs. President
Saleh stressed that dialogue with all parties to political action can lead
to formation of a national unity government composed of the various parties
taking part in the dialogue.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you except the dialogue to take place soon,
particularly because same are talking of the possibility of formation of a
new government in Yemen?
[Mujawwar] We are awaiting response to President Saleh's call for dialogue
and its substance. I hope that all political parties in the Yemeni arena
positively respond to President Saleh's call so that we can start a serious
dialogue in the interest of the homeland.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] It is noticed that the issue of dialogue is occasionally
raised, in the sense that it begins and then stops without any result. Who
impedes the start of the dialogue?
[Mujawwar] The call for dialogue was made two years ago, but it has not
started yet. So we demand positive response to President Saleh's call. The
parties to political action have indeed signed the agreement on February
2009 in order to start a real and serious dialogue. Up to this day, however,
we have received no response to this call.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] I mean dialogue with the SMM parties themselves and with
all of the extremist forces in the Sadah area and elsewhere?
[Mujawwar] By dialogue, I mean the parties to the political action that are
prepared for dialogue. I am not talking of parties to political action that
are not involved in the political process, but the forces that are active
within the framework of the political process and that are represented in
the parliament.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Some expect the Huthists to resume their activities
(rebellion) against the authorities. So the current phase for the Huthists
is like the calm that precedes the storm; what do you think?
[Mujawwar] God only knows. Yet, efforts are under way to implement the six
points (outlined in the cease-fire agreement reached early this year). The
committees composed of members of the Consultative Council and of various
figures continue working toward implementation of these points. We
occasionally examine the latest reports of their work which confirm that the
Huthists are largely stalling over implementation of these points. They have
not handed over the maps of the minefields and their locations, and have
also failed to reopen roads, and so on and so forth. Still, we hope that the
[peace] process will continue and that we will be able to finally close this
file. As President Saleh stressed, we do not want to see more Yemeni
bloodshed.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What of the Gulf States' support for Yemen's unity and
stability?
[Mujawwar] Saudi Arabia is making great efforts in support of Yemen's unity
and stability, so are the other Gulf States. The most important thing for us
is their emphasis on Yemen's unity. We sense that the role played by the
Gulf Cooperation Council States, foremost of which is Saudi Arabia, is very
great, particularly their support for Yemen's development efforts. These
countries have contributed to numerous development projects in Yemen.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What of Al-Qaeda organization's challenge in Yemen?
[Mujawwar] Al-Qaeda exists in Yemen, and we are the primary target harmed by
Al-Qaeda in terms of security, economy, and acts of terror. Yet, foreign
media outlets exaggerate Al-Qaeda's role in Yemen to the extent that they
describe our country as a safe haven for terrorism. This is absolutely
rejected and unacceptable. Al-Qaeda's presence in Yemen is supposed to be
weighed against the number of attacks it carries out. As a matter of fact,
Al-Qaeda sometimes carries out far more attacks in the industrial countries
than it does in Yemen. We are in control of the Al-Qaeda attacks, which it
sometimes carries out, capitalizing on its presence in desolate, remote
areas. The Yemeni government has carried out qualitative operations against
Al-Qaeda and made big achievements in this respect, which the international
community praised before the London conference (in support of Yemen held
early this year.) was convened. The international community has testified
that Yemen has carried out preemptive strikes against Al-Qaeda, largely
subduing its activities.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Did Aden celebrate the unity anniversary?
[Mujawwar] Aden celebrated the unity anniversary as did all Yemeni cities.
Every five years we choose one of the governorates to hold the unity
anniversary celebration. In past years, we celebrated the anniversary in
Al-Mukalla and Al-Hudaydah, and earlier in Aden and Sanaa. These
celebrations are held within the framework of manifestations of interest in
and concern for unity in all Yemeni governorates.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is the Yemeni government's gift to Aden on the
occasion of commemorating the unity anniversary?
[Mujawwar] Aden has changed; it has witnessed unprecedented development,
thanks to unity. Over the past two decades, the growth rate in Aden was 10
times more than it was before unity.
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