From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Sep 14 2009 - 10:30:56 EDT
Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Yemeni FM Al-Qirbi
14/09/2009
Interview by Sawsan Abu-Husain
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi has linked
the cessation of Yemeni military operations against the Huthist insurgents
northwest of the country to their response to the government's six demands
and said these groups (the Huthists) are outlaws, against the constitution,
and rebelling against the ruling system. He pointed out in an interview with
Asharq Al-Awsat in Cairo that the military operations and conflicts in
Sa'dah were prolonged by the interventions of Yemeni tribes which mediated
to end the conflict and have the Huthists hand over their weapons. He also
talked about the future of the situation in Yemen and the impact of this
crisis on the Yemeni economy. Following is the text of the interview:
[Asharq Al-Awsat] You briefed the Arab foreign ministers' meetings several
times on the confrontations in south Yemen and in Sa'dah. What is new in the
Yemeni briefing this time and where the issue of resolving the conflict with
the Huthists has reached?
[Al-Qirbi] The aim of the Yemeni briefing is to acquaint the brother Arab
foreign ministers about the real situations in Yemen so that they do not
have a wrong image from the media that is trying to falsify the facts. The
media tried, very regrettably, to depict what is happening in Sa'dah as a
sectarian conflict or as if the issue is one of uprooting a group holding a
religious creed but it ignored the government's efforts for a full year
during which it stopped all the operations and tried through several
mediations to persuade these groups to return to dialogue and avoid the
violence, killings, and destruction to which the Sa'dah Governorate was
subjected. The truth of the matter is that the military action now taking
place on the ground was imposed on the government because the sons of Sa'dah
thought the government was not exercising its constitutional right to
protect them and stop this insurgency in Sa'dah. Hence there was a need for
a clarification to the foreign ministers so that they understand is that
these insurgent groups have capabilities and financial resources. We do not
care from where these are coming, as this will be made public at the right
time, but the resources available to them are clear evidence they are
receiving external support.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] But President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced that the
financial support and financing were from Iran and Al-Sadrists?
[Al-Qirbi] The president announced there are nongovernmental Iranian sources
in the religious seminaries and Shiite groups in Iran and probably from
outside it too. As to Al-Sadr, what the president said was that Al-Sadr
expressed his willingness to mediate between the government and the Huthists
and inferred from this that there was contact between them and the Huthists
because they could not mediate if there was no relationship between them.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] But the mountains battle is difficult and, as the experts
are saying, it is difficult for such battles to resolve the military war.
What is the situation and what needs to be done?
[Al-Qirbi] We did not resolve the previous wars with the Huthists. There
were always interventions by the sons of the region and the tribal elders
due to Yemen's tribal nature. They asked the government to stop the war and
said they would intervene and ask the Huthists to hand over their weapons,
end the war, and return to their villages. The government always responded
to these demands because it regarded these, despite their insurgency,
Yemenis in the first place and that stopping the bloodshed was the state's
responsibility. But they very regrettably reneged on their promises every
time.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] In addition to the external support, who inside Yemen is
supporting the Huthists in your opinion?
[Al-Qirbi] As I said, there is support from Shiite groups and probably from
those who were misled inside Yemen who believe that these belong to their
creed while they have deviated from Al-Zaydi creed. This to owe will make
public at the right time.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you believe that the conflict in Yemen is not just
sectarian but also one seeking to partition the country, or what?
[Al-Qirbi] According to these groups' discourses, the reason for this
sectarian conflict is that they are saying the current regime is not in
accord with their beliefs which consider the current presidential system
illegal and not in accord with their creed.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you mean that the Huthists are aspiring to rule Yemen
and not just declare a state in Sa'dah?
[Al-Qirbi] Yes, that is so.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] If the conflict with the Huthists was not resolved
militarily, will the dialogue committee help (solve the problem)?
[Al-Qirbi] The dialogue is halted at present. We are hoping that the
military operations are a message to the others which persuades them that
the government is serious this time, will not accept mediations, and they
must talk to the government within the framework of the six points which the
government had presented to them.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] And these are?
[Al-Qirbi] These pointes include them coming down from the mountainous areas
and fortifications, handing over the heavy weapons they have, returning to
their villages, stopping closing roads, removing the mines they had planted
in many areas, and releasing the German and British hostages kidnapped in
their areas several months ago. These are the points presented by the
government.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Are the military operations with the Huthists expected to
end soon?
[Al-Qirbi] We did not seek the war which we have repeatedly said was imposed
on the government. It is a war against its sons which it does not want. It
is a drain on the country's economy which affects everyone, including the
Huthists and all Yemen's sons. But when the insurgent does not listen to the
voice of reason and continues the sabotage and destruction, harms the
citizens, and prevents the state's institutions from functioning, then the
state has to intervene. There is no country that accepts such actions.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you believe that the proliferation of weapons
phenomenon in Yemen helped the infighting?
[Al-Qirbi] Of course. The presence of weapons is contributing to this.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] You are rejecting the internationalization or arabization
of Yemen's issue. But there is American, Arab, and regional talk about
backing stability in Yemen. How do you see it and is this not the onset of
intervention?
[Al-Qirbi] Yemen is an important country regionally and its stability is
important for the region. But we do actually reject the internationalization
and arabization. It is an internal issue. All the stands are not considered
intervention as much as concern for Yemen's stability and unity. This is
what the Arab group, the EU, and the United States expressed.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is the minimum level for external intervention in
resolving the Huthists' issue? Will you accept a Turkish mediation after it
offered to do so during its participation in the Arab foreign ministers'
meetings? What is the kind of support apart from internationalization and
arabization?
[Al-Qirbi] It is to support the Yemeni Government in the confrontation with
these elements. The most important kind of support is not to deal with these
insurgent elements as if they are the government's equal because they have
broken the law and constitution. They should be seen within this context.
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