Yemen to refute information on ban on importing somali weapons

SANA'A, Dec. 21 (Saba) -Yemen is to refute misleading information on
a ban on importing weapons from Somalia, a source at the
Foreign ministry has said.

Yemen is mostly affected by instability and deteriorating situation
in Somalia and these effects are reflected by the influx of Somali
refugees fleeing civil conflict and humanitarian deterioration in
their country as they arrive in Yemen's coasts almost daily, the
source made clear.

Latest figures say almost 1 million Somalis have already arrived in
Yemen, an issue which the government says lays more burdens on the
country's fragile economy and sometimes leads to social, security
and health repercussions, the source added.

Furthermore, smuggling weapons is sometimes associated with the
arriving of displaced Somalis.

Yemen has strengthened its efforts to combat the smuggling of
weapons from African countries with Yemeni coastguards thwarting
many attempts to traffic weapons through the country's coasts.

Yemen reiterates its readiness to cooperate with the UN and all
regional concerned parties to fight piracy and all forms of weapon
smuggling, the issues resulted due to the situation in Somalia where
there is not a central government.

The source said Yemen renews calls on the international community
to help bring stability and security to Somali as well as supporting
Somalis to reorganize the country's institutions.