Yemen urges opening a new chapter to resolve Horn conflicts

Dec 27, 2004 - The president of the Republic of Yemen, HE Ali Abdullah Salih, has called for the adoption of dialogue as the only means of resolving any conflict in the region.

He stressed that Yemen's view on the resolution of any dispute between states was based on dialogue, so that conflicts are overcome and all outstanding issues resolved.

Addressing a joint news conference with the leaders of Sudan and Ethiopia in Khartoum, his excellency said Yemen had made and was still making efforts to close the gap between the neighbouring states and to create an atmosphere of amity and excellent relations.

"Yemen believes that disputes and misunderstandings can only be resolved through dialogue. Only dialogue, not other means like media campaigns and interference in the affairs of others, can overcome problems."

On the outcome of the effort by Yemen to mediate between Ethiopia and Eritrea on one hand and between Sudan and Eritrea on the other, his excellency said: "Yemen's view has been welcomed well by the brothers and we will continue our engagement with the brothers in order to remove the misunderstanding and to ensure that dialogue overcomes the logic of force.

"There has been a positive understanding on the part of HE President Al-Bashir and the prime minister of Ethiopia. Mr Meles Zenawi. Yemen will continue its engagements with the brothers and with Eritrea to ensure that the method of dialogue is adopted, the logic of force overcome, and a new chapter opened in the ties between Sudan and Eritrea on one hand, and Ethiopia and Eritrea on the other." Excerpt from report by Yemeni news agency Saba web site

[Passage omitted: repetitive]

Source: Saba news agency web site, Sanaa, in Arabic 1747 gmt 27 Dec 04