WASHINGTON: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called a senior White House aide Wednesday to express regret for his searing criticism of Israel and the United States over the Arab uprisings, officials said. Saleh called President Barack Obama's top anti-terrorism adviser, John Brennan, a day after the White House complained he was scapegoating, after he described the Arab uprisings as an Israeli plot backed by Washington. “President Saleh called assistant to the president, John Brennan, this morning to convey his regret for misunderstandings related to his public remarks that Israel and the United States have engaged in destabilizing activities in Arab countries,” the White House said in a statement. “President Saleh also said that he is firmly committed to meaningful political reform in Yemen and that he is reaching out to opposition elements in an effort to achieve reform through a democratic, inclusive, and peaceful process. “Mr. Brennan expressed appreciation for the call and said that any comments that seek to attribute blame for recent developments in the region are unhelpful, as they ignore the legitimate aspirations of people in the Arab world.” Brennan also encouraged Saleh to continue trying to reach out to opposition, amid mass protests against his rule, and called on all sides of the political dispute to eschew violence. Saleh is a key anti-terror ally for Washington, largely due to the presence in Yemen of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). But he complained Tuesday about Obama's critiques of the wave of protest and revolt sweeping North Africa and the Middle East, accusing Washington of backing an Israeli lot.
