Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz held talks in Riyadh yesterday and today with Yemeni interior minister Major-General Hussein Mohammed Arab on arrangements for implementing the border treaty between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen. Major-General Arab was received yesterday by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, to whom he conveyed greetings from Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salih. Today, Major-General Arab met with Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

In a press statement on the occasion, Prince Nayef stressed that there is total agreement between the two sides on all aspects of the treaty, and that the current meetings concern its technical implementation.
At the end of their talks, the two interior ministers issued a joint statement. At a joint press conference today, Major-General Arab explained that the next meeting scheduled for November 10, 2000, would decide on the installations to be constructed. These, he said, would be in place by the time the Hansa Company of Germany completes its demarcation of the borders, thereby facilitating the crossing of citizens even before finalization of this task. There will be four border crossing points, Haradh, Alab, Al-Badha, and Al-Wadayah; each will have both a Saudi and a Yemeni station. Prince Nayef expressed the hope that the placing of the border markers would be completed in short time, noting however that the distance from the sea to Al-Thar mountain is almost 400 miles, over hard mountainous territory. Asked about withdrawal of forces in the border areas, he replied that this is covered by the treaty, and a task assigned to the joint military committee.

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