[16 December 2006]

SANA'A, Dec. 16(Saba)- Ministry of Human Rights in coordination with the International Committee for the Red Cross mission organized a
symposiumon the International Human Law )IHL).
"The symposium affirmed Yemen rigid adherence to the IHL and Human Rights Law, in addition to other international treaties and legislations
relevantto human rights." Abdul-Qader Qahtan, member of the Technical Committee in the ministry said.

Qahtan said that, "The Republic of Yemen, represented by president Ali Abdullah Saleh, has taken into responsibilities to continue
working onthe democracy course, protect and reinforce human rights by adherence to laws and legislations and to peacefully exchange
power via presidential and local elections."

He noted that Yemen exerted touchable efforts to save and promote human rights by establishing the National Committee for Human Rights which gradually transformed to an integral ministry, the Ministry of Human Rights, within the organizational frame of the government.

"Yemen is getting ready to ratify Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court", Qahtan said, emphasizing that the significance of
collaborationbetween the government of Yemen and NGO's so as to reinforce human rights and its issues.

He called NGO's, which work in the international field, not to mix human rights issues with political issues.

On the other hand, Abbas Zabarah, reporter of the National Committee of the IHL, clarified that the committee would carry out, in the
next period, a series of training courses on introducing the IHL and the international standards related to resorting to force in the
time of peace and war.

For his part, Sharif Atlam, the regional advisor of the International Committee of the Red Cross, commended Yemen's exerted
efforts in thefield of saving human rights illustrated by its cooperation with the international human rights authorities.

He made clear that the symposium aims at introducing the IHL, its application, the people and places it protects, mechanisms to respect it and the adherence of concerned countries to the agreed upon treaties.

AM/TN

SABA