Yemen welcomes U.S. decision on Guantanamo prisoner transfers

Yemen said Thursday it welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision to lift a moratorium on transferring prisoners from Guantanamo to Yemen.

“The government of Yemen (GOY) welcomes President Obama’s remarks and actions today. In particular, Yemen welcomes the administration’s decision to lift the moratorium on detainee transfers to Yemen,” Mohammed Albasha, the spokesman for Yemen’s embassy in Washington, said.

Obama announced the decision in a major speech outlining a new bid to close the “war on terror” prison in Guantanamo, saying history will “cast a harsh judgment” on the detention program and those who failed to end it.

He said he would lift a moratorium in place on transfers of Yemeni detainees to their homeland, name a new envoy to handle the transfers, and ordered the Pentagon to designate a site in the U.S. for military trials of the detainees.

Yemen said it would “take all necessary steps to ensure the safe return of its detainees and will continue working towards their gradual rehabilitation and integration back into society.

“Yemen’s partnership with the United States is strong, and GOY values the ongoing cooperation to tackle mutual threats and promote the unity, stability, and prosperity of the nation,” the embassy statement said.