SANAA, Yemen, June 11 (UPI) -- Yemeni Speaker of Parliament Sheik Abdullah Ahmar criticized the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa for what he called interfering in Yemen's internal affairs.
In comments published Saturday, Ahmar said that ambassador Thomas Greisky's movements and meetings with tribe leaders, politicians and organizations of the civilian society without notifying the foreign ministry "is a blunt interference in Yemen's domestic affairs."
The Yemeni news agency SABA quoted Ahmar as saying "diplomatic norms require that the U.S. ambassador and all other diplomats strictly use diplomatic channels in order to establish contacts within the framework of their work."
"As for the American ambassador in Yemen whose meetings are being held without the knowledge of the Yemeni government," he added, "his acts are considered as violations of diplomatic norms and this does not serve bilateral relations," Ahmar added.
