SANAA, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Yemen said on Tuesday that an international conference aimed to support its counter-terrorism efforts due to be held in London later this month will not tackle Yemen's internal affairs.

    "The Yemeni government will not accept anything in the London government that will harm its sovereignty or lead to interference in its internal affairs," Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Abdullah al-Kurbi was quoted by official Saba news agency as saying.

    The London-hosted conference aims at laying out clear-cut strategies to support Yemen's development plans as well as its efforts to eliminate terrorism, he told a press conference.

    Al-Kurbi also said Yemen hopes the international community pledges aid at the London conference to support its economic plans to curb unemployment and poverty, the two main reasons largely believed to be behind the recent rise in terrorism activities in the country.

    "Yemen has long called for international support to help it promote its capabilities against terrorism," he added.

    He also said that the country will not tolerate any "instructions" by foreign countries regarding its battle against Shiite Houthi rebels in the south, terming is as "internal issue."

    The top Yemeni diplomat also reiterated a call by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on al-Qaida terrorists and Houthi rebels for dialogue, if they lay down weapons and renounce violence.

    The president aimed to show that terrorism cannot be addressed by military actions only, but also in several ways, including dialogue, al-Kurbi said.

    On Sunday, the president said that his county is ready to engage in dialogue with al-Qaida militants on the condition that they surrender and return to the "right track."

    However, he said the country will continue hunting down those committing "sabotage and terrorist acts."