Yemen's opposition rejected on Thursday the “transfer of power” initiative by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, and set a two-week deadline for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step aside.
“We have renewed our emphasis on the need for speeding the process of (Saleh) standing down to within two weeks. Therefore we will not go to Riyadh,” said Mohammed al-Mutawakkil, a prominent opposition leader, according to Reuters. Mr. al-Mutawakkil was referring to a high-level meeting that Saudi Arabia had planned in its capital city to help resolve the Yemen crisis.
“We have renewed our emphasis on the need for speeding the process of (Saleh) standing down to within two weeks. Therefore we will not go to Riyadh,” said Mohammed al-Mutawakkil, a prominent opposition leader, according to Reuters. Mr. al-Mutawakkil was referring to a high-level meeting that Saudi Arabia had planned in its capital city to help resolve the Yemen crisis.
The announcement by the opposition followed a meeting in Sana on Tuesday between ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, and the Libyan opposition. The meeting sought clarification of the GCC understanding of a “transfer of power,” which does not specify a time frame for president Saleh to step down.
Mr. Saleh had announced his acceptance of the GCC initiative.
“We didn't find in the clarifications that the ambassadors presented anything that meets our demands for an immediate removal,” Mr. Mutawakkil said. “There was nothing new from the Gulf Cooperation Council ambassadors.”
Yemen’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2013, a prospect the opposition finds unacceptable.
Mr. Saleh has offered new parliamentary and presidential elections this year as part of political reforms. However, he says he should stay in power to oversee the change or hand over to what he calls “safe hands.”
(Abeer Tayel of Al Arabiya
Mr. Saleh had announced his acceptance of the GCC initiative.
“We didn't find in the clarifications that the ambassadors presented anything that meets our demands for an immediate removal,” Mr. Mutawakkil said. “There was nothing new from the Gulf Cooperation Council ambassadors.”
Yemen’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2013, a prospect the opposition finds unacceptable.
Mr. Saleh has offered new parliamentary and presidential elections this year as part of political reforms. However, he says he should stay in power to oversee the change or hand over to what he calls “safe hands.”
(Abeer Tayel of Al Arabiya
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