Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh has thanked the nation for his re-election, calling it a "great democratic victory".

He also warned that action would be taken against those threatening internal stability.

And, in a speech read out by a Yemeni TV presenter, he spoke of his commitment to resolving the long-standing border dispute with Saudi Arabia.

The speech said

In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, O proud, sincere people, I greet you and congratulate you on these immortal Yemeni occasions: the 37th anniversary of the 26 September revolution, the 36th anniversary of the 14 October revolution; and the 32nd anniversary of National Independence Day.

Our celebrations and happiness are augmented by our people's great democratic victory represented by the first presidential elections held in our country through a free and direct ballot.

The constitution has confined the Yemeni presidency to two presidential terms.

We would like to congratulate our people on their great success in exercising their right to elect me as president of the republic and realising a high cultural leap towards democracy.

Giant national achievement

This has been a practical application of the constitution's provisions; namely, the people are the source of authority, and the people govern themselves by themselves.

Voters had a choice between two candidates

This giant national achievement would not have been realised without the immortal Yemeni revolutions, of 26 September and 14 October; and without the people's struggle and determination to uphold their will and place their interests above all other interests.

I congratulate our great people on exercising their right and on reaching this sublime civilised achievement which is sought by all peoples and of which cultured and advanced nations are proud.

No leniency

One of the priorities that should be addressed is enhancing the prestige of the state and its primary role in protecting the people, establishing peace and stability, and imposing law and order on all, without nepotism or favouritism.

This means that all must play their role in firmly confronting all those who perpetrate crimes that undermine the society's security, peace, and stability.

We must emphasise that the state cannot be lenient with those who tamper with security and those saboteurs who seek to undermine the nation's stability and harm its interests.

The state will work on strengthening its role and will perform its strategic tasks to justify its existence and continuity in the political, economic, and social fields, in addition to its defence, security, and political tasks, as provided by the constitution.

President Saleh casts his vote

Therefore, we will work to further develop the armed forces and the security forces, qualitatively as well as quantitatively, relying on the most advanced armaments and training to make it highly prepared for combat at all times in order to bear their national responsibilities and duties in protecting the constitutional legitimacy and safeguarding the national soil and sovereignty.

The armed forces must remain outside all forms of political struggles and party affiliations.

They should be affiliated with the entire homeland because they are owned by the people as a whole.

Foreign policy

Dear Brother Citizens, it is a source of pride that the foreign policy of our country is clear and has clear objectives.

This policy is based on the right approach, has a dynamic nature, and is based on the higher interests of our people and our Arab and Islamic nation as necessitated by our international relations on the global level.

Therefore, we will continue to adhere to the independent nature of our country's foreign policy on the basis of the constants on which this policy has been based and continue to be based, starting with the eagerness to bolster our country's relations with the fraternal countries in the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf and to work to achieve co-operative relations with all countries of this region.

We renew the call for investing and setting up joint ventures in Yemen in a manner that realises the joint interests and bolsters confidence among our peoples and entrenches security and stability in our country.

Saudi brothers

We reiterate our commitment to the policy of fraternal dialogue in the negotiations that aim at solving the border issue with our brothers in Saudi Arabia on the basis of a satisfactory and just solution and the principle that no harm should be allowed to come to either party.

We also call for consolidating fields of co-operation with all Arab countries and exerting all possible efforts to restore Arab solidarity and enhance the march of the joint Arab action through activating the role of the Arab League, which should follow a new approach that can confront the challenges and threats facing the Arab nation.

.... and is congratulated by his only opponent, Najeeb Qahtan Al-Shaabi, after his victory

Our Brothers, we will continue to be committed, in words and deeds, to work on all levels and in all fields to support the cause of the Palestinian people in their endeavour to restore all their legitimate rights, including establishing their independent state, whose capital is holy Jerusalem, on their national soil.

We will continue to support all efforts exerted to realise a just and comprehensive peace in the region, which will only be realised through the restoration of the legitimate Arab rights and the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories in Palestine, southern Lebanon, and the Syrian Golan heights.

Support for Iraq

Free Brother Citizens, we believe in a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace.

We reject all forms of aggression against the rights or the sovereignty of nations.

We will not hesitate to make more efforts so that peace can be realised in the whole world.

Within this context, we renew the call of the Yemeni Republic to end the siege imposed on the fraternal Iraqi people.

This siege has severely harmed the elderly, women, and children and caused a serious humanitarian suffering that should not be ignored.

Dear Brother Citizens, O heroes of our armed and security forces: Once again I congratulate you on the occasion of this glorious national anniversary and I call on you to work for the construction of dear Yemen and to support any sincere effort that is exerted as a translation of the objectives of the September and October Revolutions.

I pray Almighty God to bless the souls of the martyrs of the revolution, homeland, and duty.

Thanks to the dear sacrifices of these martyrs we now enjoy unity, democracy, and progress.

We also pray God to bless the souls of the martyrs of Arab Egypt who shed their dear blood for the sake of Yemen.

We pray god to have mercy on their souls and grant them paradise.

May peace and God's blessing be on you .

Source: Republic of Yemen TV, San'a, in Arabic 25 Sep 99