Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi (L) with Riyadh vice-governor Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Yemeni President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi arrived in Riyadh on Sunday, to attend the third Arab Economic and Development Summit. The visit comes after Hadi spent two days in Bahrain, where he held diplomatic talks with the King and Crown Prince. Sources close to the Yemeni president told Arabstoday that the main objective of the visit was to discuss ways to stop Iranian money from passing through Bahraini banks and charities to reach Yemeni opposition who want an independent South Yemen.
King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah, held an official reception in honour of Hadi, where the Yemeni leader was presented with the King's top accolade.
Bahrain sits outside the scope of Gulf donors who are committed to supporting the Yemeni economy during the transition period. As a result, sources told Arabstoday that the visit was "to seek Bahraini cooperation in drying up Iranian funds coming across their banks and charities."
The Yemeni president also met Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of Bahrain. Their discussion focused on bilateral relations and the prospects of joint cooperation to achieve security and stability in the two countries. The Crown Prince praised the role undertaken by President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi to boost economic development and realise the aspirations of the Yemeni people. He emphasised the need to activate the Yemeni-Bahraini joint committee to discuss various topics and issues of interest to both countries, and to promote coordination and cooperation to broader horizons.
Meanwhile, sources close to President Hadi told Arabstoday that he asked the Bahraini monarch to try and convince south Yemen opposition leaders abroad to participate in the country's national dialogue.
Sources revealed that President Hadi offered his full support and protection to southern leaders if they returned to Yemen, to participate in the dialogue. He said that if they continue to refuse, the dialogue will take place without them.
President Hadi is expected to ask Saudi officials in Riyadh to do the same, and exert their influence on south Yemen leaders. Hadi wants the southern movements to abandon slogans of separation and is willing to offer a new regime with a constitution that provides for a federal agreement between north and south Yemen.
He will also ask Saudi leaders to intervene in Yemen's military reshuffle, which involves the dismissal of senior military officials with close ties to Saudi Arabia. Hadi wants officials to persuade the military leaders to accept his decisions in the context of restructuring the Yemeni army.
Sources say that the United Nations Security Council meeting in Sanaa, likely to be held "at the end of the month" will resolve several key issues. However, the meeting might be delayed to coincide with the first anniversary of the inauguration of Hadi, in February.