Report: Yemen president defiant about exit

Apr 24, 2011, 22:43 GMT

Sana'a - Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh said Sunday he will not hand over power until elections have determined his successor, according to an interview with BBC broadcaster.

His statement came a day after he welcomed an exit arrangement proposed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which called for the formation of an opposition-led national unity government, followed by a transfer of Saleh's powers to his deputy within 30 days.

Calling the months-long opposition movement in Yemen a 'coup,' Saleh said: 'Who shall I hand (power) over to - those who are trying to make a coup?'

'No, we will do it through ballot boxes and referendums. We'll invite international observers to monitor,' he told BBC, speaking through a translator.

Saleh and his government had on Saturday approved the Gulf- brokered deal to settle the political stalemate amid the ongoing anti-regime protests.

Just hours before Saleh's BBC interview, Yemen's main opposition bloc also accepted the plan 'with reservations.'

'The deal sounds okay for us but President Saleh should first resign and then we can go for forming a unity government with the new president,' Mohammed Qahtan, spokesperson for the opposition Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), told the German Press Agency dpa.

Saleh acknowledged that his insistence on elections would likely escalate the crisis because the 'opposition is confused.'

Saleh has already warned of a possible civil war if he is forced to leave office. He repeated in the interview his insistence that Al- Qaeda terrorist network has infiltrated the camps of the opposition.

'Unfortunately, the West says it stands with the people against terrorism,' Saleh said. 'Now Al Qaeda is inside the camps. This is very dangerous.

Saleh has ruled the country for 32 years. Thousands of protesters gathered in the capital Sana'a Sunday to express opposition to the proposal and demand Saleh's immediate removal from power.

Saleh is seen to be rapidly losing control of the country as the unrest continues unabated despite a government crackdown that has left more than 100 people dead.

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