Yemen talks energy ties with U.S. envoy

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SANAA, Yemen, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Improved ties between the Yemeni and U.S. energy sectors are expected to develop within the next few months, officials said from Sanaa.

Yemeni Minister of Oil and Minerals Hisham Sharaf met with U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein in Sanaa to discuss ways to improve ties in the oil and natural gas sector for the year, Yemen's official Saba news agency reports.

Sharaf, the report said, noted that Yemeni's political transition strategy included special considerations for foreign investments in the country.

A U.N. Security Council resolution passed in June calls on Yemen to convene a national dialogue, restructure the military under a unified command and implement political reform with the aim of general elections in 2014.

Yemen last month confirmed work was under way to repair an oil pipeline that was the target of frequent attacks. A military committee had said it suspected some military officials were involved in attacks on the pipeline during last year's uprising against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, in its report for May, said political factors in the Sudans, Yemen and Syria were to blame for the total loss of 140,000 barrels per day from global energy markets.