Saleh refuses to sign power transition deal for third time

May 22, 2011, 17:05 GMT

Yemeni anti-government protesters carry a big sign with the date \'22nd of May\' written in Arabic, as they are attending a celebration to mark the 21st anniversary of Yemen\'s unification, in Sana\'a, Yemen, 22 May 2011. Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters held a huge rally in Sana\'a to mark Yemen\'s unification anniversary while supporters of President Ali Abdullah Saleh blocked roads leading to the Siteen street to prevent more people from joining the protesters in their celebrations. Saleh, who has been ruling the country for 32 years, was expected to sign a Gulf-brokered power-transfer deal after it was signed by opposition on 21 May. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

Sana'a - Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to sign a Gulf-brokered power-transfer deal on Sunday, saying he would only sign in the presence of the opposition, Yemeni state television reported.

This is the third time the embattled president has refused to sign the agreement which would end his 32-year-old rule and, theoretically, quell the unrest in the country. The opposition signed the deal on Saturday.

Yemeni state news agency Saba reported that Saleh's ruling party, the General People's Congress, had signed the agreement. But the deal cannot come into effect without the president's signature.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) envoy Abdullatif al-Zayani departed from Sana'a following the aborted ceremony, heading to the Saudi capital of Riyadh for a meeting of Gulf foreign ministers, regional news network al-Arabiya reported.

It was not clear whether al-Zayani had met with Saleh, who had promised to sign the deal by Sunday.

Officials within the GCC said the bloc might withdraw the proposal in the wake of this latest failure, according to al-Arabiya. The GCC has led intense diplomatic efforts to resolve the political stalemate in Yemen which has dragged on for more than three months, with widespread protests calling for Saleh to step down.

Earlier, a number of Saleh's supporters encircled the United Arab Emirates embassy in Sana'a to prevent al-Zayani from meeting with the Yemeni president.

Hundreds of people also surrounded a building where Saleh was located in a bid to prevent him from leaving.

'Of course, these people were instructed to do so,' a witness told the German Press Agency dpa. 'The situation is currently very tense here,' he added.

The Gulf proposal calls for Saleh to transfer his powers to the vice president within 30 days, and for presidential elections to then take place after 60 days. The deal guarantees Saleh immunity from prosecution and allows him to remain head of the ruling party.

Witnesses said that Saleh's followers were also searching people on the streets of the capital, checking their identity papers.

Meanwhile, security officials blocked most roads to Siteen street, where anti-government protesters held a huge celebration to mark the 21st anniversary of Yemen's unification.

'In all languages, we tell you, we are the people of Yemen, and we went out demanding freedom,' one protester told the crowd.

At least 140 people have been killed and thousands injured since the uprising in Yemen started earlier this year.