Saleh agrees to allow his deputy to form new government, official says

Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to authorise his deputy Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi to form a unity government

By Saeed Al Batati,

November 13, 2011

Sana’a: Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to authorise his deputy Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi to form a unity government following the approval of the GCC plan, the government spokesman, Abdu Al Janadi said on Sunday. The proposed government will be sworn in in front of Hadi not Saleh.

Under the deal, Saleh will step down in return for immunity from prosecution for him and his family. His deputy Hadi will handle a following a two-year-long transitional period.

At a press conference, Al Janadi confirmed that his government is all set to comply with the UN Security Council resolution 2014, but stipulated it should be applied collectively, calling upon the opposition leaders, who are overseas, to come back. He also accused breakaway units of the army of killing more than 14 people and injuring dozens in the city of Taez on Friday.

Tens of thousands of people protested in the capital Sana’a on Sunday to denounce government’s continuing crackdown on the protesters in Taez and calling for the arrest of Saleh and his aides for killing the protesters. Activists in Taez organised another massive rally. Both rallies were peaceful.

Yemen’s two main cities, Sana’a and Taez, witnessed a strike in which almost all businesses were brought to a standstill. The Organising Committee of the youth-led uprising called for more rallies Monday to ratchet up pressure on the president Saleh to resign.

Meanwhile, the United Nations envoy to Yemen Jamal Bin Omar, who arrived in Sana’a on November 10, was in talks with the government and opposition.