Janet Napolitano Offers To Help Stop Illegal Border Crossings — In Saudi Arabia

The United States government, which has difficulty controlling its own borders, has agreed to help Saudi Arabia secure its dangerous border areas near Yemen.

"It is a very rough border, very difficult to protect from illegal crossings," U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said.

In late May, Ms. Napolitano met Saudi leaders to discuss a range of security programs, including training, joint exercises, intelligence and arms sales. Officials said both the Americans and Saudis agreed that the Iranian-backed Shi'ite insurgency from Yemen was the leading threat to Riyad.

Officials said Riyad and Washington were expanding cooperation in protecting the kingdom's borders from insurgents and smugglers. They said the biggest threat was the Shi'ite insurgency in neighboring Yemen, which shares a 1,600-kilometer border with Saudi Arabia.

Officials acknowledged that thousands of Yemenis were infiltrating Saudi Arabia despite recent border security measures. They said many of the Yemeni infiltrators were smugglers.

"So many of our discussions were about how to protect a very tough, geological, topographical border from illegal crossings," Ms. Napolitano said during a visit to the Saudi kingdom on May 31.

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