Yemen president says ready to quit within days

SANAA: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, faced with more than eight months of street protests demanding his ouster, said on Saturday he is ready to step down within days but would not hand over to his foes.


“I don’t want power and I will give it up in the coming days,” the veteran leader said in a televised speech during which he launched a tirade against his opponents.


Saleh, 69, said it was “impossible to let them destroy the country,” whereas there were “sincere men, whether they be military or civilian” who were capable of governing Yemen.


The president, who has been in power for 33 years, has refused to hand over power under the terms of a transition plan drawn up by Yemen’s oil-rich Arab neighbours in the Gulf.He has repeatedly refused to sign a Gulf Cooperation Council-brokered power transfer deal under which he would hand over to his deputy Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi in return for immunity from prosecution.


The opposition has rejected any talks with Saleh before he steps down.


UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar left Sanaa on Monday after urging the country’s leaders to agree on a political deal.


“It’s up to Yemeni leaders to reach a political agreement… and they must not fail to take up their responsibility,” state news agency Saba quoted him as saying.