FRIENDS OF YEMEN GROUP MAY NOT MEET THIS MONTH-SITE

SANA'A, Mar. 04 (Saba) - Yemen and the GCC member states and other
EU friends are in contact to set a date for the meeting of the
Friends of Yemen Group, previously approved to be held later this
month in Germany's capital, Berlin, the September website reported
on Thursday.

The state-run website quoted sources with knowledge about the matter
as saying that Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi held on the
margins of the recent Arab Foreign Minister's Meeting in Cairo a
consultative meeting with GCC, Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts
to discuss the meeting.

The meeting approved further contact among involved countries.

The sources also said it is probably that the meeting takes place at
the level of Foreign Ministers and is expected to establish a fund
with the contribution of donors to support development in Yemen.

However, they ruled out that the meeting be held later this month,
saying it may occur in April or May when all arrangements should be
taken, particularly as it comes after a London and a Riyadh
conferences on Yemen.

Italy suggested at the January 27 London Conference to establish the
Friends of Yemen Group that big countries and international
organizations should be part of to support the Yemeni government's
efforts to combat terror, boost security and improves sustainable
development.

FR