YEMEN: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh tells supporters the nation needs an early election to end bloodshed on the streets

Record ID: 212733

  • Title: YEMEN: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh tells supporters the nation needs an early election to end bloodshed on the streets
  • Date: 21st May 2011
  • Summary: SANAA, YEMEN (MAY 20, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF YEMENI PRESIDENT ALI ABDULLAH SALEH DURING FRIDAY PRAYERS YEMENI PRESIDENT ARRIVING AT RALLY SALEH'S SUPPORTERS CHANTING SLOGANS IN ARABIC "The people want Ali Abdullah Saleh" VARIOUS OF YEMENI PRESIDENT WAVING FOR SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) YEMENI PRESIDENT ALI ABDULLAH SALEH SAYING: "We call for an early presidential election to prevent bloodshed, to protect our family dignity and for a smooth democratic path. Your General People's Congress will remain both in power and out of power and they will educate them (the opposition) in how to be a responsible opposition." VARIOUS OF SALEH'S SUPPORTERS CHANTING SLOGANS IN SUPPORT OF HIM YEMENI ARMY TANK IN THE STREET
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords: Yemdunc
  • Location: Yemen, Yemen
  • Country: Yemen
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2YZ4RNP6F26VHGYLPKBIR1H2K
  • Story Text: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for early elections on Friday (May 20) as thousands rallied for and against his three-decade rule, in an apparent move to stave off Gulf and Western pressure for a power transition deal.
    Saleh in March called for a presidential election by the end of this year, but this time he did not give any time frame or details on a plan for a presidential election, leaving some sceptical it may be a tactic to buy time.
    "We call for an early presidential election to prevent bloodshed, to protect our family dignity and for a smooth democratic path," he told a cheering crowd of tens of thousands of supporters waving his picture and Yemeni flags.
    Saleh is a shrewd political survivor who has twice backed out of a Gulf Arab-brokered transition deal at the last minute despite heavy diplomatic wrangling by U.S., Gulf and European officials.
    Washington and Riyadh, both targets of foiled attacks by al Qaeda's aggressive Yemen-based wing, are keen to end a stalemate that has pushed fractious Yemen closer to the brink of chaos and could give the militant network more room to operate.
    Saleh, speaking to supporters on Friday, appeared to lay some groundwork for his followers to prepare to relinquish some control over the reins of government.
    "Your General People's Congress will remain both in power and out of power and they will educate them (the opposition) in how to be a responsible opposition," he said.
    Protesters in this impoverished Arabian Peninsula state are increasingly frustrated their daily rallies have failed to dislodge Saleh. They have begun blocking roads and staging mass strikes that have ground commerce to a halt in several cities.
    Gulf foreign ministers are planning to meet on Sunday (May 22) to discuss Yemen's political crisis, but have made no mention of attempting another deal signing, although Yemeni officials in the opposition and government said they may try again to ink the twice-thwarted deal on Sunday.
    Saleh first refused to sign the GCC deal in April when he said he would only sign in his capacity as ruling party leader, not president. Last Wednesday (May 11) he backed out in objection to the opposition's inclusion of a politician he did not want to be among those who would sign the deal.
    Yemen, where half the 23-million people own a gun, and already riven with regional rebellions, has become a concern for regional stability among its Gulf neighbours, particularly oil giant Saudi Arabia, and the United States, which has seen Yemen as an ally against al Qaeda.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register