[17/January/2012]
SANA’A, Jan. 17 (Saba)- Prime Minister Mohammad Salim Basindwa has confirmed in an interview with the London-based daily Al-Hayat that an agreement has been reached with the Saudi government on many issues.

Basindwa explained that he found every support from Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz in order to implement the Gulf-brokered initiative and its implementation mechanism for settling the crisis in Yemen.

The Yemeni official said that he had found that "the Kingdom agrees to play a major and leading role in the development of Yemen. This is not surprising from the Kingdom that always has stood by us".

"Specifying the figure of the aid is left up to the Saudi leadership, and nothing has been specified. However, we sensed serious intentions and determination to help Yemen, and this will be translated into reality during the upcoming period", he added

He stressed that the petroleum derivatives offered during the recent period do not represent all the decided aid, and that the rest of the amounts will arrive very soon.

Basindwa expressed his satisfaction with the meeting held with the Saudi King and Crown Prince Nayif.

Basindwa stressed that the steps stipulated in the initiative have been implemented, and the rest will be implemented at the scheduled times. He also stressed that the important step will take place on 21 February 2012, which is the scheduled date for the early presidential elections, and that Yemen is preparing within the upcoming weeks for the start of the turning of the wheels of development.

With regard to the elections, Basindwa stressed to Al-Hayat that they are the responsibility of the Higher Committee for the Elections, which indeed has started preparing for the elections. He considered that his government has done a great deal until now, "and has tried to deal with the urgent problems, such as electricity and oil, as quickly as possible. Today you can see the difference; Sana’a has become full of life, the markets are prosperous, and life has started to return to normal at a quick pace".

Basindwa went to say that Prince Nayif promised to open the job market for the Yemenis, even for those who enter the Kingdom illegally.

Saba