Arabs must help Pak over security: EU

RIYADH (Reuters) - Gulf Arab countries should help Pakistan and Yemen bolster security in the face of rising
militant violence that could spread their way, the European Unions anti-terrorism chief said on Monday.
Gulf authorities should also tighten controls on possible transfers of funds to militant groups through Pakistani
and Yemeni expatriates living in the oil-exporting region, Gilles de Kerchove told Reuters.
Its a question of knowing if we can together work with Gulf countries to try and avoiding Pakistan and Yemen
becoming what we commonly call 'failed states and gradually safe havens for Al-Qaeda organisations, he said
on the sidelines of a conference on terror financing.
We are witnessing a regionalisation of Al-Qaeda, in North Africa, Iraq and the Arabian peninsula, he said,
referring to various groups using Al-Qaedas name. Its urgent that we help Pakistan and Yemen strengthen their
anti-terrorism apparatus.
De Kerchove said Gulf countries needed to do more to combat money laundering that could benefit militants.
As of June 2007, travellers to and from Saudi Arabia are required to declare cash amounts, transferable
monetary instruments or precious metals exceeding $16,000.
There is a difference between fixing a threshold and checking that this system works, he said. Is everyone who
leaves Saudi Arabia checked? But its good to have a law.
He said Saudi Arabia should tighten control along its long and porous border with Yemen, as well as offer
Pakistan financial support to train its police force in counter-insurgency methods.
Much of the anti-terrorism campaign has been led by the Pakistani army, an army that has not been adequately
trained to deal with an insurgency, he said. In Yemen, there is a huge amount of work to be done (and) a
weakening state apparatus.