Al-Qirbi receives letter from Egyptian counterpart

SANA'A, Nov. 03 (Saba) - Foreign minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi has received a letter
from Egyptian countepart Ahmed Abu al-Ghait that was handed over by Abu al-Ghait's
aide for Arab affairs Abdul Rhaman Salah.

Salah said the letter was concerned with the bilateral relationship and the latest
developments in the region, topped by the situation in Iraq as well as the issue of
finding a peaceful solution to the Darfur crisis.

The two sides held talks that focused on ways to activate bilateral diplomatic
cooperation according to an agreement signed by the two countries Foreign ministries
in June, 2006.

The talks also dealt with the issue of the Arab National Security, especially the
latest developments in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea manifested by soaring
piracy. The two sides called on the international community to tackle the piracy
phenomenon through achieving reconciliation among the Somali factions.

Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991 when then
president was deposed and the civil conflict has killed and displaced hundreds of
thousands of people.

Instability and conflict in Somalia are of main factors leading to soaring piracy
with more than 30 vessels hijacked in this year.

However, the international community responded to this phenomenon through sending
navy ships to work along with the international forces stationed in the
international waters near Somalia and the Gulf of Aden to fight pirates and secure
the sea lines there.

The issue of the two countries initiatives to heal the rift between the rival
Palestinian movements was brought up.

FR