Obama pledges support of Yemen

SANAA, May 18 (KUNA) – US President Barack Obama pledged his country's assistance of Yemen to maintain stability and achieve justice and democracy in the impoverished Arab country, which recently saw a regime change.

Obama told Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi in a cable, sent four days ahead of the anniversary of the Unification of Yemen, that he deeply appreciates the depth of relations between the U.S. and Yemen.

Hadi was voted into office in late February after a revolution, which called for economic and political reforms, that deposed his predecessor Ali Abdallah Saleh.

The US president also praised Hadi's role in leading Yemen towards a peaceful transition while conforming to a democratic path that will lead his country and its brave and determined people, whom have endured many troubles, to a bright future, the cable read according to Yemen's state news agency, SABA.

The occasion which awaits Yemenis on May 22, is a reminder of the huge obstacles they overcame during the unrest last year.

Obama went on to highlight many reforms that needed to be addressed by the Yemeni government, ensuring that his country would lend a helping hand to usher forward development within a stable and democratic Yemen.