SANAA (AFP) - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad arrived yesterday in Yemen for a four-day visit aimed at developing bilateral cooperation, an official source said.

Mahathir, who heads a large Malaysian delegation including Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, told reporters on arrival that the purpose of his visit was to strengthen ties between the two countries in the fields of economy and investment.

He is expected to hold talks on the issue with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Prime Minister Abdel Kader Bajammal, the source said.

The veteran Malaysian PM is also due to visit Aden and meet there with a Yemeni business delegation.

A member of the Malaysian delegation said that trade between the two countries reached RM323 million in 2000, the balance weighing heavily in favour of Malaysia, with RM258.4 million worth of exports, while Yemeni exports to Kuala Lumpur only amount to RM64.6 million.