PRESS RELEASE

As part of the official visit to the Russian Federation of President of the Republic of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh, his meeting with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov took place on February 25.

During the conversation, a number of issues relating to further strengthening Russian-Yemeni cooperation in different fields were examined. In particular, the necessity was noted of supporting broader economic and trade ties and realizing joint projects in the oil and gas, energy and other fields.

In discussing international problems, the main emphasis was laid on the situation in the Middle East from the viewpoint of the importance of intensifying world community efforts in the interests of a political settlement to conflict situations in the region. There was expressed the mutual desire to facilitate stabilizing the situation around Gaza, improving the humanitarian situation there, establishing a durable truce and resuming a full-scale peace process. This will be the focus of the Moscow Meeting on the Middle East, whose convocation Yemen supports.

Special attention was devoted to the state of affairs in the Palestinian movement. The Russian side gave a positive assessment of Yemen's efforts in the interests of restoring Palestinian unity.

The interlocutors also touched on matters concerning increasing Russian-Yemeni cooperation in combating international terrorism, piracy and other challenges.

February 26, 2009