Yemen, Morocco make security pledges

SANAA, Yemen, July 1 (UPI) -- Yemeni and Moroccan officials met Wednesday in the capital Sanaa to discuss enhancing bilateral security cooperation, the government said.

Yemeni Interior Minister Mutahar al-Masri met with the Moroccan envoy to Yemen, Mohamed Hama, to discuss security relations and other joint interests, the official Yemeni news agency Saba reports.

Masri secured pledges of support from the Moroccan ambassador, noting Morocco had promised to support stability in his country.

Yemen and Bahrain reached similar agreements in June, particularly regarding the issue of piracy.

Meanwhile, a court in Aden started the trial for 22 Somalis charges with piracy in the Gulf of Aden and in international waters.

Prosecutors charged the bandits with violations ranging from committing acts of piracy on the high seas to conspiracy to commit such acts.

The court adjourned the trial to July 15 while lawyers examine evidence.

Piracy has emerged as a regional threat on par with growing concerns of government instability and terrorist issues. Yemen has called for widespread cooperation in tackling the looming threat posed by pirates, insisting piracy is an international issue.