KUWAIT July 6’ Arab pow ers seeking to end Yemen s war will not recognise the breakaway South for the ino merit, but they might take new positions on the conflict if fighting continues, a Kuwaiti official said on Wednesday, reports Reuter.

"It is not possible in any way to hasten towards a recogni tion now," Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Suleiman Al-Shaheen told reporters after talks In Kuwait between foreign ministers of Egypt. Syria and Gulf Arab states.

There had been speculation that some of the countries might announce recognition of secessionist southern Yemen as a way of pressuring the North into calling of its two-month-old assault on Aden-based southerners.

Shaheen said the ministers had managed to reach a measure of agreement in talks on Tuesday on broad issue's concerning the fighting and protection of civilians.

He declined to give details of that agreement.

He added. "The continuation (of the war) without a ceasefire and the securing of Aden and civilian residential areas that would call for taking new positions in the light of the events." ’

Meanwhile. President Clinton on Tuesday called for an immediate -ceasefire in Yemen and the resumption of negotiations of a settlement of that country's civil war, the white House said.

It said Clinton issued the call at a meeting with former Mississippi Governor Ray

Mabus. who will be leaving soon for Riyadh to take up his post as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Clinton and Mabus "discused the crisis in Yemen particularly the critical situa tion in Aden", a white House statement said.

The president reiterated the US call on Sanaa for an Immediate ceasefire and the * Implementation of (UN Security Council) resolutions 924 and 931. including the urgent requirements for humanitarian relief for the city of Aden and the resumption of negotiations to settle outstanding political differences. It said.

A report from Aden adds: Breakaway southern Yemen said its troops beat off an northern tank attack aimed at

capturing the airport of its besieged capital. Aden.

Southern forces succeeded in repelling northern units which penetrated to the Khormaksar area near the airport and tried to take control of It," a southern military statement said.

Southern warplanes have used Aden's airport as a base for strafing raids on the more numerous northern forces which have been fighting the south since a four year merger of north and south Yemen collapsed In civil war on May,4.

Both northern and southern Yemen claimed they controlled the port of Mukalla 620 km (390 miles) by road east of Aden which had declared its secession from the unified state.