Yemen opposition accepts president's political reform initiative to save country

English.news.cn 2011-02-13

SANAA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's opposition on Sunday accepted a political reform initiative offered earlier this month by President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in which he pledged not to seek another Presidential term or hand over power to his son.

"We accept the political reform initiative offered by President Saleh on Feb. 2," the opposition coalition said in a statement. " We are ready to begin the national dialogue with the President's ruling party as of this week."

Opposition leaders said their acceptance came as they tried to help keep the country away from spreading unrest that changed regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.

In the statement obtained by Xinhua, the opposition said " President Saleh announced in a meeting with the members of Parliament and Consultative Council and army leaders to cancel all unilateral constitutional changes that were proposed in January by his ruling party."

"Therefore, we announced our readiness to sign the agreement of the national dialogue with the ruling party and to start the dialogue without interruption in order to drive our country into the safe level," the opposition's statement said.

The opposition also said they were ready to take part in a national unity government, and do whatever to stave off the potential spreading chaos to the country.

"We have frozen all opposition protest against the regime," the opposition said, adding that "but we call on President Saleh and his ruling party to keep all their commitments and absorb the lessons from the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt."

The statement also demanded Saleh to release all youths who were arrested during the massive opposition-led demonstrations.

On Feb. 2, Saleh, who is in power for 33 years and facing popular protests demanding him to step down, said at an emergency meeting of the parliament, consultative council and members of the army that he would not reelect himself or pass power to his son and would also freeze all constitutional amendments approved unilaterally that would allow him to be president for life.

In that meeting, Saleh called for dialogue with opposition and promised to achieve more political and economic reforms, pledging to do all measures to satisfy the opposition, including postponing the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in next April.

"I present these reforms in the interests of the country. The interests of the country come before our personal benefits," Saleh said.

Saleh also pledged to raise salaries of government employees and to provide 60,000 job opportunities for University graduates.

International community, including the United States and Britain, then urged Saleh to deliver his promises and called for the opposition to positively respond to their president's offer.

Yemen, the impoverished Arab country, faces Shiite rebellion in the north, separatist movement in the south and growing resurgent al-Qaida regional group across the country.

Editor: Deng Shasha

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