Sanaa, April 26: Yemen’s opposition has agreed to a proposal by a regional Arab grouping calling for the country’s unpopular president step down within a month of signing the plan with the opposition.
The proposal, which was presented by the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC), grants President Ali Abdullah Saleh immunity from prosecution in exchange for his stepping down and handing power over to his vice president.
On Monday, opposition spokesman Mohamed Qahtan said, “The opposition coalition of the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) has already submitted their full acceptance to [P]GCC Secretary General Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani,” Xinhua reported.
According to the plan, the opposition will be allowed to form an interim national unity government after the president signs the deal.
Since late January, hundreds of thousands of people have turned out for regular demonstrations in Yemen’s biggest cities, calling for corruption and unemployment to be tackled and demanding that the president step down after nearly 33 years in power.
According to local sources, at least 300 protesters have been killed and many others have been injured during clashes with riot police and forces loyal to the Yemeni president armed with batons, knives, and clubs.
The Peaceful Youth Revolt, a group that has helped organize protests against the regime, had earlier issued a statement rejecting the Arab initiative, saying, “It does not include Saleh’s immediate ouster and provides safeguards to him, his family and aides, who are all killers.”
——–Agencies