Ausaf Sayeed, the newly-appointed Indian Ambassador to Islamic Republic of Yemen, says he will work towards setting up a Yemeni Consulate in Hyderabad.
Newly-appointed Indian Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Yemen, Ausaf Sayeed, stated on Tuesday that he would talk to the Yemeni authorities on the establishment of a Yemeni Consulate in Hyderabad.
Ausaf said he would use his position as an Ambassador to press for the Consulate with the Yemeni authorities. He said he would assume charge of his new post as an Ambassador to Yemen on September 19th.
The Ambassador also expressed his determination to work for the upgrading of economic commercial and cultural ties between the 2 countries.
Addressing a felicitation program organised by the Urdu weekly Gawah at Grand Plaza Nampally, Ausaf revealed that his ancestors, too, hailed from Yemen.
Ausaf said that he hailed from the regal family of a famous Yemeni tribe. He stated that though he felt that his ancestors belonged to Yemen, he had no contact with the family of his ancestors. But now the new assignment provided him an opportunity to trace his origin, he said.
The Ambassador stated that he had held negotiations with the Yemeni authorities on the establishment of a Consulate at Hyderabad, and that the authorities had assured him to give it a positive consideration.
Currently, there is a Yemeni Embassy in New Delhi, and a Consulate in Mumbai.
Mentioning his priorities, Ausaf said that he would take an initiative towards the Yemeni President's visit to India and the Indian President's visit to Yemen, in order to strengthen ties between the 2 countries.
Ausaf said that there were 2 million NRIs in Yemen, and that more than 1 lakh Yemenis were settled in India, the majority of whom consisted of Hyderabadis.
Referring to his latest meeting with the President Pratibha Patil, Ausaf said that when the President instructed him to improve relations between the two countries, he assured that he would take all possible initiatives in this regard.
Referring to Indo-Yemen relations, Ausaaf said that the ties between the two countries dated back to the British era of 1836, and that trade with Yemen is worth 2 billion American dollars.
The Ambassador said that there were vast oil and gas reserves in Yemen. According to an estimate, Yemen had 4 billion barrels gas reserves, as the country produces 3.10 lakhs barrel gas daily. He said that Yemen has 17 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves.
Yemen had allotted 11 oil blocks to the foreign companies, out of which 7 blocks were offered to Indian companies. He said that scholarships are being awarded to Yemeni students studying in different educational courses under Indian Cultural Counsel relations and the Indian Technical Education Programme.
Additional Director General of Police Syed Anwarul Huda, recalled the services renderred by Ausaf Sayeed as Consulate General in Saudi Arabia. The Secretary of the Federation of AP Minority Educational Institutions, Zafar Javed, hoped that Ausaf Sayeed would attain new heights in future and would get installed as the Secretary for foreign affairs. On the occasion, Habeeb Al Abdur Rahman Al Attas, Ghiasuddin Babu Khan, Nagarjuna Fertilizers Director P P Singh, Mohammed Bin Saleh al Quiti and others also spoke.
The Editor of Gawah, Fazil Hussain Parvez, welcomed the invitees.
Courtesy: INN