SANA'A: Mujahid al-Qohali, the Yemeni Minister of Expatriate Affairs, announced to the media that after a candid discussion with Saudi officials, the Kingdom had agree to return Yemen its pre-Gulf war privileges. Before President Ali Abdullah Saleh decided to side with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War, Yemenis were treated by the Saudis as nationals, with the possibility to travel in and out without visas and being able to establish their residence and businesses without any red tape. The Kingdom was also running several social, medical and education programs in Yemen, financially supporting Saleh's government. Yemen's economic troubles started with the withdrawal of Saudi funds and the expulsions of tens of thousands of Yemenis from the ultra-conservative Gulf kingdom after Yemen supported Iraq in its invasion of Kuwait. Although the diplomatic relations between the two neighbors eased out throughout the years, Saudi always held reservations towards Saleh's foreign policy, refusing to grant Yemenis their old privileges. It seems that Saleh's departure is now prompting a change of heart. “In our latest visit to Riyadh, Saudi officials affirmed they would facilitate difficulties and challenges of resuming these privileges,” said the Yemeni Minister. With so much instability threatening the region, Saudi Arabia is eager to support Yemen on its road towards economic recovery, fully aware that a stable Yemen is the key to regional growth and prosperity. With sectarian violence brewing in Yemen's northern territories and a surge in al-Qaeda's activities in the country's southern provinces, Saudi officials are worried that the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula will disintegrate into chaos, exporting terrorism and anarchy to neighboring nations. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/PB7oW Tags: Diplomacy Section: Latest News, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
