Yemen has no plans to form ties with Israel

Yemen says it has no intention to establish diplomatic relations with Israel unless they comply with all international resolutions regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The spokesman said Yemen's position is very clear on this issue.

"Yemen sees that normalisation of ties with Israel must be preceded by an Israeli commitment to a just and comprehensive solution to the Middle East issue, Israel's withdrawal from all Arab occupied territories, creation of a Palestinian state on its national soil with Al Quds as its capital, and compliance with the resolutions of international legitimacy relating to the Arab-Israel conflict," the spokesman said.

"The Republic of Yemen has no intention to establishing diplomatic relations with Israel unless it applies the resolutions of international legitimacy," the spokesman added.

The Yemeni statement came two days after media quoted Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom as saying that Tel Aviv would establish diplomatic relations with more than 10 Arab states, including Yemen, this year.

Shalom, who visited Cairo on Tuesday, asked Egypt to help Israel to follow the roadmap.

However, Egypt said normalising ties with Israel was linked to a comprehensive and just settlement to the Arab-Isareli conflict.

Cairo also added that Arab nations were free to go their own way with Israel.

During his third trip to Egypt in a year, Shalom said he was encouraged by improved relations with Egypt, and told reporters that he asked Mubarak during their 90-minute meeting to help promote his vision to establish normal relations with Arab states.

"Israel and Egypt have much to gain from enhancing the relationship between Israel and all its Middle East neighbours," Shalom said.

"I am convinced that such a roadmap can help build the constituencies so needed for peace in our region to take root."

"With most of the Arab countries we don't have any kind of conflict, neither about territory, nor about economy," Shalom said.

Israel "looks to Egypt to cooperate with us in promoting this vision" by letting it be known that there is a new positive direction in relations with the Palestinians.

However, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gaith repeated the collective Arab stance reaffirmed at an Arab summit in March: Israel's return of Arab land will lead to peace and normal relations.

But in the same breath, he noted individual countries can go their own way, as Egypt did 26 years ago, when it signed a peace deal with Israel.

"The Arab world is ready to go down the road of normalisation and building relations with Israel in exchange for reaching a just and fair solution to the Palestinian issue," Abul Gaith said.

"And yet, the issue is left to every country to deal with the situation as it sees it."

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. In 1994, Jordan became the second Arab state to have a peaceful agreement with Israel.

"Yemen sees that normalisation of ties with Israel must be preceded by an Israeli commitment to a just and comprehensive solution to the Middle East issue."