Yemeni Officials Say President Accepts Proposal to End Crisis
VOA News April 23, 2011
Yemeni government officials say President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to a proposal from Gulf Arab mediators that calls for him transfer power and resign within 30 days.
Officials said Saturday that the government had informed the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of President Saleh's acceptance of the plan, which was presented earlier this week.
The plan calls for President Saleh to transfer power to a deputy, who would then form a unity government within two months. Ruling party members would control half of the unity government, 40 percent would be held by an opposition coalition, with the rest made up of unaffiliated parties.
GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani presented the plan to Saleh on Thursday, in a bid to end Yemen's anti-government unrest.
Reuters news quotes Yemeni opposition leaders as saying on Saturday that they accept the GCC initiative but will not take part in a unity government.
Meanwhile, many Yemenis across the country observed a general strike on Saturday to protest against President Saleh's rule. Some gathered for peaceful protests.
On Friday, thousands of opposition activists rallied across Yemen, where they repeated calls for President Saleh's immediate resignation.
On Saturday, President Saleh accused his opponents of trying to drag the country into civil war. He also called former ruling party members who had resigned and joined the opposition "symbols of corruption."
He commented during a speech to armed forces academy students in Sana'a.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
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