The U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an unusual high-level U.S. visit to Yemen on Tuesday said the two countries have a mutual interest in defeating the al-Qaida. The Clinton visit was not announced in advance because of security considerations. The Secretary of State also met with Yemen's President, Ali Abdullah Saleh. Clinton, who arrived in Yemen from Dubai amid heavy security, is the highest ranking U.S. official to visit the country since former Vice President Dick Cheney visited in 2002, and the first Secretary of State to do so since 1990. The Clinton visit underscores American concern about the security situation in Yemen, where the local al-Qaida affiliate has attempted terrorist attacks against the United States and only days ago killed more than a dozen Yemeni troops in an ambush. Addressing a town hall meeting of Yemeni students, civil society activists and politicians, Clinton said terrorists operating from Yemen, many of whom are not Yemeni and include some Americans, are an urgent concern for the United States.