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Yemen president slams Al-Jazeera TV by phone call with Qatar Emir
[January 27, 2011]

Yemen president slams Al-Jazeera TV by phone call with Qatar Emir


SANAA, Jan 27, 2011 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called on Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on Thursday to prevent Doha-based Al-Jazeera Satellite TV from heating up conflicts in Yemen, official Saba news agency reported.



In a phone conversation, Saleh asked Qatari Emir to help stop Al-Jazeera from inciting Yemeni people for violence by twisting fact and exaggerating events.

"The channel must stop incitement, exaggeration and distorting the facts, furthermore, it should stop encouraging people to appeal to unrest, violence and sabotage in the Arab countries," Saleh told Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.


"What the channel is doing serves the Zionist entity and terrorist groups, such as al-Qaida as well as the enemies of the Arab who seek to ignite dissent among people that threatens the next generations," Saleh said.

Saleh told Qatari Emir that "the media is supposed to have noble message, serving the truth, strengthening unity and peace, helping people to face challenges and exposing plots against the Arab World." The two leaders also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas and reviewed the latest developments in the region, according to Saba.

Earlier Thursday, around 15,000 protesters took to streets in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, calling for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Inspired by the Tunisia-style revolution, hundreds of protesters went to the streets in Sanaa and other major cities over the previous days, demanding the ouster of their president, who has been in power for more than 30 years.

Saleh announced on Sunday on the state TV that he would step down after his second presidential term expires in 2013.

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