THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Ali Abdullah Saleh, the embattled President of Yemen, has agreed to step down and hand power to his deputy in exchange for immunity from prosecution.Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled for 32 years, has faced months of protests from an opposition movement which has accused his government of corruption and of failing to tackle the country’s poverty.
He has agreed to a proposal from mediators from the six nation Gulf Cooperation Council to stand down and pave the way for a new president to be elected.
Under the draft agreement, Yemen’s parliament would grant Saleh legal protection from prosecution and the president would submit his resignation and hand power over to his vice president, who would call for new presidential elections.
Soltan al-Barakani, deputy secretary general of the ruling General People’s Congress said: “The GPC and its allies have accepted the GCC initiative in its entirety.”
The protest movement which has been demanding Saleh’s immediate departure said that it also accepted the latest draft of the deal but with reservations. » | Jasper Copping | Saturday, April 23, 2011
