25/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, has issued a press release in which she welcomes the fact that the presidential and local elections in Yemen on 20 September had been carried out so openly and correctly, "despite a few violent incidents" and a few problems which must be resolved as a matter of urgency (in particular, the use of public funds for the party in power, an inferior status for women and a low level of literacy which "excludes so many people in this country from the political process"). Ms Ferrero-Waldner also welcomes the fact that EU observers "had been able to accompany the Yemenites" and the government in this process to make progress on the road to democracy.