Yemen Seek Soviet Aid

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31595, 5 February 1968, Page 13

Yemen Seek Soviet Aid

(N.Z. P.A. -Reuter—Copyright) MOSCOW, February 4.

A military delegation from the People's Republic of Southern Yemen has arrived in Moscow to seek Soviet military aid. The Southern Yemen radio quoted the leader of the delegation, the Defence Minister (Ali Salem Al Baidh), as saying before he left for the Russian capital that he would “explore the possibility of building up a strong army and security force capable of defending and bolstering the revolution.”

Although the Kremlin has recognised the new republic, which was granted independence from Britain on November 30, diplomatic representatives have not yet been exchanged between the two countries.

Before Southern Yemen’s independence, Britain trained and equipped her armed forces, comprising an estimated 10,000-strong army, a small navy of three in-shore minesweepers, and an air force of 24 aircraft, including Provost jets, Dakotas and helicopters. Britain pledged about £lom in additional aid, to be paid by the end of May this year.

Detained Anew.—The Rhodesian Government has served fresh detention orders on all 145 people already detained in the country. The move follows a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Salisbury last Monday that the detentions of two people, a white lawyer and an African, were illegal.—Salisbury, Feb. 4.