Top US military sees Yemeni leader in San'a

The commander of American forces in the Middle East, General Anthony Zinni -- who's now in Yemen -- has had talks with President Ali Abdallah Saleh.

The Yemen news agency says the talks focused on the prospects for cooperation in defence and on the Middle East peace process.

Correspondents say the General's visit has prompted speculation that Washington may be seeking new military bases in Yemen.

The Yemeni government backed Iraq in the crisis over it's invasion of Kuwait eight years ago, but the American embassy in Yemen says the country's economic reform programme and moves towards greater democracy have since led to increasing co-operation.

The American defence secretary, William Cohen, said yesterday that Washington planned to reduce its forces in the Gulf, following the end of the recent crisis with Iraq, but would retain the ability to rebuild them within two days.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service