Yemen President says he will freeze constitutional amendments

English.news.cn   2011-02-02

SANAA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Wednesday told parliament that he will not seek another Presidential term or hand his power to his son.

President Saleh, facing popular protest demanding him to step down, said at the emergency meeting of the parliament, consultative council and members of the army that he would also freeze all constitutional amendments approved unilaterally that would allow him to be president for life.

Saleh renewed his call for dialogue with opposition and promised to achieve more political and economic reforms, pledging to do all measures to satisfy the opposition, even to adopt measures to delay the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in April.

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

"No life presidency, no inheritance to son," he said.

The initiative of Saleh, who has been in power for more than 30 years, came a day ahead of opposition's largest protest rally planned to be held on Thursday in a bid to stave off spreading Arab unrest to his country.

Saleh announced on Jan. 23 on the state TV that he would step down after his term expires in 2013.

Editor: Wang Guanqun