Prince Khalid bin Sultan, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs, paid an inspection visit to the armed forces' unit at Al-Ardha sector. Prince Khalid was received on arrival at the headquarters by the Commander of the military unit, Maj. General Hussein bin Muhammad Mallawi. Then, Prince Khalid addressed the military unit. Prince Khalid, later, answered questions by reporters. On a question about demining, he said that a Yemeni committee has demined a lot of mines and that the Armed Forces and the Command of the sector are responsible to ascertain that all sites are demined, but we have to be more cautious to be sure that there are no more mines are left, he said. I am sure that within less than a month, everything will be cleared, he added. On surveillance at the border, Prince Khalid said the Yemeni government is dealing with that and we are observing what is going on. We have always full faith and our wise leadership directives are to save lives and blood on our side and theirs, unless we come under attack and an aggressor transgressed into our soil then he has but to retreat or he would be killed, he reaffirmed. Now, we consider whatsoever happens in Yemen an internal affair within the Yemeni government capacity, and it knows that the best means to deal with its people, we are keeping a vigilant eye, and what is important is to have good treatment, good neighborhood and security and safety for both sides, he said. He dismissed news of introducing any amendments to the Saudi-Yemeni border in the wake of recent events, and confirmed that no amendment ever took place to the official border between the two countries. On defending the Kingdom, Prince Khalid said that we look around 360 degree regardless of the direction of threat and we draw up different specific scenarios to face it whether it is coming from the north, south, west or east, all are fully taken into account, he said. Concerning the Air Force, it is so strong, with long-reach arm plus being well experienced and it is the proud of all, he added. Prince Khalid said on the Kingdom aid to Yemen that there the Saudi-Yemeni Joint Committee is the best and is led by the Crown Prince with a lot of issues to tackle. Our concern is to upgrade Yemen's economic standard, and the Joint Committee is a witness to supervise that aid, he further said. Regarding common exercises between Saudi and Yemeni forces, he explained that a common exercise has been carried out two years ago, and others are to take place in the future. On establishing a military base in Jazan he said that the Saudi leadership is keen to do whatsoever of benefit to the military and there are much more studies in this regard and a long list of projects are to appear later on. On chasing out the infiltrators he said that none is to be proud of that but the armed forces, and that the Kingdom and its Armed Forces are continuously observing the border, because that falls within our capacity, the capacity of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Interior represented by the Border Guard. Regarding the meeting of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and the Yemeni President, he said that the meeting was a meeting of fraternity, friendship and relationship of two strong and rock-solid countries. Prisoners of war were received through Yemeni government and those who died as martyrs and their corpses were delivered too via Yemeni government, stressing that the deals are done always with the Yemeni government, he concluded. -- SPA
