On Monday, US President George W. Bush appealed to donor nations to grant Yemen financial aid to help fund its fight against terrorism, in a message sent to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
The US ambassador to Yemen, Edmund Hull, delivered Bush's message to Saleh, the official SABA news agency reported.
In his letter, Bush "states the US willingness to grant any aid possible to Yemen in the area of security, and urges donor nations to provide Sanaa with all (financial) assistance to help it with economic and development projects and its fight against terrorism," the agency was quoted as saying by AFP.
The message also refers to helping Yemen gain the "means to fight terrorism," the report added.
Yemen has confirmed the arrival of around 100 US troops who would help train special anti-terrorist forces hunting for suspected combatants from Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network throughout the Arab State.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington was preparing to send several hundred soldiers to Yemen on an anti-terror mission approved by the White House.
In addition to training Yemeni forces, the US military would advise Yemen's Republican Guard as they pursue al-Qaeda elements in the country's lawless northern tribal areas.
Bush has said Yemen is "responding" to his insistence that it crack down on suspected terrorists, explaining that he told Saleh he "expected results" from the country's anti-terrorism efforts.
"I made it clear to him, as well as other presidents of nations, that you're either with us or you're not with us. And that if you're with us, we expect results," Bush strongly conveyed.
The Pentagon has acknowledged it was discussing a package of military aid to Yemen, however refused to elaborate, and did not confirm the imminent deployment of US troops to the country.
On Thursday, Saleh said that Yemen, which has been chasing two al-Qaeda men for several weeks, was determined to capture suspected terrorists. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
