ABU DHABI Ñ The United States has presented a formal plan to train
and develop Yemen's military and security forces.
The plans encompasses a list of steps for U.S. funding, equipment
transfer and training for Yemen. The focus of the effort would be ensure the
establishment of a significant Yemeni coast guard to patrol the country's
2,400-kilometer coast.
Arab diplomatic sources said the U.S. plan was presented by U.S. Central
Command chief Gen. Tommy Franks during his visit to Sanaa. The sources said
Franks discussed the U.S. proposal with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh
in what was described as the most detailed offer of military and security
help from Washington.
"For the first time, there was a discussion over what the size of the
U.S. aid package would be," an Arab diplomatic source said without
elaborating.
Earlier this year, Yemen presented the United States with a $400 million
plan for the procurement of naval vessels required for coastal defense.
Washington did not approve Sanaa's request.
The London-based Al Hayat daily said on Friday that the U.S. package
would seek to improve the capabilities of all parts of the military and
security forces in counterinsurgency.
At a news conference in Sanaa before his departure, Franks said Yemen
has agreed to send a senior officer as a liasion to U.S. Central Command.
The U.S. commander said the Yemeni decision was an important step in
military cooperation.
Franks said the United States has offered an unspecified number of naval
vessels to Yemen and has been ttraining coast guard officers. Officials said
20 such officers have been training in the United States.
The official Yemeni news agency Saba quoted Yemeni President Ali
Abdullah Saleh as expressing his country's interest in developing and
enhancing military relations with the United States. The agency did not
elaborate.
