Security, trade top U.S. talks with Yemen

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SANAA, Yemen, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. and Yemeni officials addressed security, trade and immigration issues in two days of meetings this week in Yemen, the head of the U.S. delegation says.

"The United States has a profound interest in advancing Yemen's security and prosperity," Homeland Security Undersecretary Rand Beers said Tuesday in a statement. "By enhancing collaboration with the government of Yemen, we reaffirm our commitment to more effectively secure our two countries against evolving threats and improve the trade and investment climate in Yemen."

Beers met in the Yemeni capital Sanaa with President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi and other Yemeni Cabinet officials Monday and Tuesday. They discussed ways of improving aviation and border security.

The two sides also discussed cooperation and coordination on security matter, particularly the training and rehabilitation of police officers, the Yemeni news agency SABA reported.

Beers noted the readiness of the United States "to provide the assistance for training and rehabilitating the coast guard forces and the security of ports and airports in Yemen so as to make these security agencies able to do their duties completely," SABA said.