Situation in Yemen worrying

Situation in Yemen worrying Arab News

Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif arrives in Cairo on Sunday. He was received by Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and other senior officials. (SPA) RIYADH/CAIRO: Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif said Sunday that Saudi Arabia was deeply concerned with developments in neighboring Yemen. "We are cooperating with our Yemeni brothers at maximum levels to ensure Yemen's security," he said. Prince Naif's statement comes in the backdrop of a major campaign launched by the Yemeni government to crack down on Houthi insurgents in Saada province in the north of the country, adjacent to the Saudi border. Speaking to reporters before leaving for Cairo on a four-day official visit, Prince Naif said he was carrying a message from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. Prince Naif is on his first visit to Egypt after becoming the second deputy premier in March 2009. The royal visit comes in response to an invitation from Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif. "This is an opportunity to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation between the two countries in light of growing demands to develop our deep-rooted relations in various fields," he said. Educational and security cooperation will figure high in Prince Naif's talks in Cairo with Egyptian officials. "The visit will witness the signing of economic and educational agreements," he said. Prince Naif is accompanied by a high-level delegation including Commerce and Industry Minister Abdullah Zainal Alireza, presidents of two Saudi universities and senior security officers. On arrival in Cairo, Prince Naif was received at the airport by Premier Nazif and other top Egyptian officials. Speaking to reporters there, the prince said he considered Egypt his second home. "Egypt is always in our hearts," he said. On his part, Nazif said he expected Prince Naif's visit to take Saudi-Egyptian relations to new heights. "A number of bilateral agreements will be signed during the visit," he added. Saudi Arabia and Egypt enjoy strong relations under the leadership of King Abdullah and Mubarak. The two countries have identical views on major regional and international issues. Earlier this year, the two leaders launched two high-speed passenger ferries to operate between the Saudi port of Dhuba and Egypt's Safaga. The ferries will reduce travel time between the two countries from eight hours to two hours and 15 minutes. Saudi Arabia donated the ships, built in Australia and costing $130 million, to Egypt. During the launching ceremony at Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdullah handed over ownership documents of the two ferries to Mubarak. Each ferry can carry more than 1,200 passengers and 200 vehicles. The launch of the two ships ushered in a new era of marine transport between the two countries, officials said. They helped boost trade and investment cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.