Monday, May 23, 2011

The Yemen leader gives mixed signals before signing

SANA'A, Yemen - the Party of the Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh has suggested Sunday that he would not sign a contract offered to resign after 32 years in power, if the signing has been held "in camera" and said that he wanted a public event held for all attendincluding the leaders of the opposition.

Statement hours before Saleh was to sign the agreement, was the last of a series of mixed signal of the difficulty of the Yemen President.

Saleh removed from the signature of at least twice before, adding to the deep mistrust of the opposition of a leader known for skillful political manoeuvres that has kept him in power for decades.

Made agreement supported by U.S., mediated by the Gulf Cooperation Council States, claimed Saleh to resign 30 days. Would it also give him legal immunity from prosecution.

Coalition of the opposition of the Yemen signed the contract on Saturday, based on what it said were guaranteed that the President would sign on Sunday.

On Saturday, Saleh has condemned the proposal as "a coup" and warned the United States and Europe that his departure would open the door to al-Qaida taking control of the fragile nation on the edge of Arabia. Yet, an official statement said that he sign Sunday.

"We accept the initiative to stop the bloodshed," Saleh said in a televised speech.

The proposal, mediated by the Gulf Cooperation Council six nations, granted immunity from prosecution if he leaves his post within 30 days. It is however far sure, if it would satisfy all the many different groups to protest against his rule in the streets.

Saleh managed to cling to power deal with the near daily protests by hundreds of thousands of Yemenis tired of corruption and poverty. Like the other movements hostile to the Government, the Arab world, they inspired the popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

President ranged from providing concessions, taking their return and the execution of a repression violent that killed more than 150 people, according to the opposition, which says that he compiled the count of the lists of the dead in hospitals around the nation.

The bloodshed sparked a wave of defections by members of the party in power, legislators, Ministers of the Cabinet and diplomats. The tribe of Saleh joined those requiring his eviction. More important, several army commanders top of the page, including long-time confidant who heads a powerful armoured division, joined the opposition and deploying their tanks in the streets of the capital, Sana'a, to protect the demonstrators.

Saleh has managed to survive through the loyalty of the Yemen most highly skilled and better equipped military units, led by close family members.

That has raised concerns that the political crisis turns into an armed clash between rival military forces if an agreement is delayed.

Seeking to win support in the West of his continued rule, Saleh has warned several times that without him, al-Qaeda would take control of the country.

"The Americans and Europeans, al-Qaida is coming and it will take control," he said Saturday in his speech televised to the members of the security forces. "The future will be worse than the present."

In the United States, who had supported Saleh with financial aid and military equipment to combat the dangerous al-Qaida in the country branch, submitted be the embattled leader.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, said Yemeni Saturday were removed throughout the country and innocent civilians died.

"President Saleh needs to give its commitment to transfer power," she said in a statement. "The Government of the Yemen must be on the legitimate will of the people."

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula has about 300 fighters in the Yemen and has been behind several almost successful attacks on U.S. targets, including the one in which they have obtained an aspiring suicide bomber on a flight bound for Detroit in December 2009. The explosive device, sewn to his underwear, is not to detonate properly.

Opposition member Mohammed Ahmed Ghalib dismissed warnings from the President on al-Qaeda.

"It is terrorizing the Americans and the West," said Ahmed.

The proposition - first put forward in March by Saudi Arabia, to the Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates United - gives a clear timetable for a transfer of power.

A week after the sign Saleh, the opposition supports the leadership of a Government of national unity which will include representatives of the Party of Saleh. Parliament will then pass a law to grant legal immunity and a day later - 30 days after the signing of the agreement - it is to withdraw and transfer power to his Deputy.

A month after presidential elections are held.

An official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the opposition representatives signed the agreement Saturday in the presence of the ambassadors of United States and the European Union, with the main mediator, Secretary General of the Council of the Gulf, Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to the press.

Mohammed al-Sabri, spokesman for the opposition coalition, said that they received assurances of the countries of the Gulf and Western that Saleh would also sign.

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