BERLIN, Dec. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed here on Saturday the safe release of a former German diplomat and his family by Yemeni tribesmen.

    Steinmeier told a news conference that Germany was delighted at the good outcome to the crisis and he had talked by phone withJuergen Chrobog after his release.

    "He is relieved," Steinmeier said, "My initial impression is that he and his family have survived this without any harm to body or mind. Apparently they were fairly treated. But it was an enormous strain."

    The foreign minister expressed thanks to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh for his "committed and careful" approach to a solution.

    Steinmeier said that he could not say much about the reason for the kidnapping, but it appeared that the case was not of terror nature.

    Juergen Chrobog, former ambassador to Washington and state secretary at the German Foreign Office, his wife and three adult sons were abducted by disgruntled tribesmen in eastern Yemen on Wednesday during their travel in the country.

    The kidnappers demanded the Yemeni government to release members of their tribe imprisoned in Aden. It was not immediately clear whether the government had met the kidnappers' demand.

    But a spokesman for the Yemeni embassy in Berlin said Saturday that four kidnappers of the German family were arrested in Yemen and would be brought before a court.

    He said that a deal signed Friday by the leaders of the tribe with the Yemeni government led to the release of the German family.

    The spokesman said Chrobog and his family would stay over till Sunday in the port city of Aden, adding that President Saleh would travel there to meet them.

    Yemeni armed tribesmen often snatched foreign tourists to pressure the government to release jailed relatives. The hostages were usually set free unhurt after negotiation between the authorities and the kidnappers.

    Last week, Yemeni tribesmen seized and later released two Austrians.

    In November, two Swiss tourists were kidnapped but were soon released after negotiation. Enditem