Exclusive: Q&A with President Ali Abdullah Saleh
Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled for the past 28 years, spoke with U.S. News's Kevin Whitelaw in a rare interview. Excerpts:
Do you trust America as an ally?
We have been dealing with the Americans for many years, and so far nothing has happened to create any misunderstandings between us and the Americans. For example, when we were in one camp in the fight against communism, there was complete agreement between us. The second stage is that we are also in complete agreement in the fight against terrorism. But I could imagine that America's alliances are based on self-interest rather than on principles. Interests come first, and principles do not overcome interests.
Why has Yemen chosen to work so closely with the United States on counterterrorism?
Our cooperation with the United States and the international community stems from our care and conviction in the Yemeni government towards counterterrorism and to contain its activities and to uproot it for the damage it has caused in the international relations and the split in the international relations. It has also damaged the economy, not only in our country but also the economies of every country in the world.
The conviction is firm in the Yemeni government to continue this cooperation. There is no halt. There is no backing away from the fight against terrorism.
Are you concerned about Yemenis traveling to Iraq, gaining experience in terrorism, and returning to Yemen?
When they go, they go outside our control and without the knowledge of the security apparatus, because it is the right of each citizen to travel wherever they like. Some of these evil elements may go to Iraq and receive training there. Therefore, when they come back, they pose a threat to our security. But our security is on alert.
After 9/11, many in Washington feared that al Qaeda would find haven in Yemen. Why hasn't this happened?
Not all American expectations are right in all cases. But it was very useful for us because it created some incentive for us and created a high alert among the security agencies.
Has your cooperation with the United States created a backlash?
Yes, we have domestic problems. For example, political forces inside the country do not wish a good relationship to exist between the government and the United States—so that they can say to the people, look, the government has bad relations with the United States because of the mismanagement of the government. But if they were in power, they would work to improve the relationship with the United States.
What do you think about the cuts in U.S. and World Bank aid?
It is true that the World Bank and some other donor countries have reduced their assistance according to misinformation that they received from the newspapers of the opposition parties, as well as from the leaders of these political parties, who want to create frustrations for the Yemeni government. They tried to spearhead a campaign against the government on the theme of corruption, as well as reforms, which have caused the World Bank and some donor countries to believe that this is true, but it's not true.
The state and the government are moving ahead with reforms—political reforms, judicial reforms, economic reforms, anticorruption reforms, counterterrorism. This is a full system.
How big a challenge is the problem of corruption?
There is no country without corruption, even the rich countries as well as developed countries. Corruption is a virus that is prevalent throughout the world. But in Yemen, it is not as [bad as] it has been described by the media.
You seem to be downplaying the seriousness of the problem.
No. What I said is that corruption is a widespread virus, everywhere. But we have policies to eradicate this corruption. And many actions have been taken to fire those people suspected of being corrupt and to send them to court. We believe there is corruption, but it is not in the same degree as has been described by others.
Yemen has many different voices now—some for modernization, others for conservatism. How do you see the future?
If we recall the past, the situation then was more difficult then than it is now, more complications—tribal, fragmentation between the two parts of the country, sectarian, a variety of issues that were very complicated. But to a great extent we have overcome such complications. Particularly since 1990, after the unification of the country, we have overcome such problems to a great extent when we chose a multiparty political system, freedom of speech, respect of human rights, participation of women—such kinds of things have created awareness in the Yemeni community, and we have overcome a great deal of such complications you have in mind.
The country is moving toward modernization and progress that keeps up with the international changes—in terms of education, in terms of economy, in terms of politics and social affairs. Certainly, in this forward movement, these voices cannot disappear—conservative voices, tribal voices, provincial voices—such voices will continue to exist. However, they shall not have great influence.
You have been criticized for moving backward on freedom of the press.
First of all, journalists aren't being harassed. It's part of propaganda. They are being held accountable by the law, not through a political decision. We are now in the process of amending the press law in order to prevent the imprisonment of journalists. And the maximum penalty, if some journalists do something wrong, will be to pay a financial fine.
You would not dare in America as journalists to attack the American officials in the same way the press in Yemen attack the president, the ruling party, and the government.
You have said you will not run in the September election. Is that true, or could you be persuaded to run again?
I as president will not nominate myself. This is my decision.
The true test of democracy comes with the first peaceful transition of power. Is Yemen ready?
I always say that democracy is bad, but what is worse is the absence of democracy.