By SAEED AL-BATATI | ARAB NEWS
SANAA: Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to a proposal by Gulf mediators to step down within 30 days and hand power to his deputy in exchange for immunity from prosecution, state television announced Saturday.
The protest movement demanding his immediate departure earlier said it has also agreed to the mediators’ proposal but with reservations. It objects to an article that gives Parliament the right to reject the president’s resignation. The Parliament is dominated by members of Saleh’s General People’s Congress party.
State TV said Abu Baker Al-Qirbi, Yemen’s foreign minister in the caretaker government, delivered the government’s acceptance to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Saturday.
Hours before the television announcement, the ruling party said it had accepted the GCC initiative without any reservations.