By SAEED AL-BATATI | ARAB NEWS
SANAA: A tirade from Yemen’s embattled president on Friday threatened to scupper the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) efforts to end the political deadlock in the country.
Ali Abdullah Saleh told a mass rally of supporters on Friday that he would resist calls to quit, describing as “outlaws” tens of thousands of protesters gathered a short distance away.
Protests demanding his departure have led to the deaths of 150 people since late January and the GCC efforts to broker a peaceful transition in Yemen remain in vain. UN chief Ban Ki-moon deplored the failure to agree to the plan.
“It is unfortunate and frustrating that all these agreements which were presented by the GCC and others in the international community have not been fully accepted and agreed and implemented,” Ban said at a conference in Sofia, according to AFP.
The GCC has said it was awaiting a “signal” from Saleh to revive efforts to end the crisis.
Categories: Asia, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
Later News speak of 26 dead protesters and ten dead police.