Yemeni President Saleh says to leave power 'in coming days'

Yemeni President Saleh says to leave power 'in coming days'

2011-10-09 06:50:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

SANAA (BNO NEWS) -- Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Saturday said he is planning to leave power in 'the coming days', according to media reports. It follows similar statements in the past.

"I always reject power and I will continue to reject it, and I will leave power in the coming days," he said in a speech aired by state-run television. He added: "But there were patriotic men, whether civilians or military leaders, [who] have the ability to take the power and safely rule Yemen."

However, an official of the ruling party who attended the meeting told the Xinhua news agency that President Saleh will leave power only through elections. "The president will leave power only if the opposition agrees on competing in early presidential elections with the ruling party," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Saleh did not refer to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative for power transition, which was mediated in April. The GCC-proposed plan included guarantees that Saleh will not be prosecuted after his resignation within 30 days from the acceptance date. It also called for holding presidential elections within two months from the date of Saleh's departure as well as the establishment of a new government within 90 days.

Violence has continued escalating after Saleh threatened with civil war after refusing, for the third time, to sign a power the GCC plan on May 22. Since the months of February and March, violent clashes between anti-government movements and security forces began as part of wide-range uprisings in the Middle East since the beginning of the year.

Tensions have further escalated since Saleh returned to Yemen after spending more than three months in Saudi Arabia to recover from injuries he sustained in a rocket attack which hit the mosque of the presidential palace in Sanaa on June 3.

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