President Saleh insists on Quid Pro Quo to hand power

An agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and President Ali Abdullah Saleh is close as long as there are guarantees from the Gulf states, European nations and the United States.During a ruling party meeting, President Saleh insists on a timetable for implementing the power transfer plan before an agreement is signed. The proposal from the GCC is to hand power to a government deputy within a months’ time in exchange for immunity from persecution to himself and his government officials.He has consistently vowed not to hand power to long-time rivals from opposition parties as part of the agreement.Diplomats said a draft resolution was circulated to U.N. Security Council members late Tuesday, expressing concern about ongoing violence in Yemen and calling for Saleh to step down. They said most council members appeared to support the draft and were likely to vote on it by early next week. According to Yemeni medics and witnesses an assailant threw a grenade into a market in the southern province of Lahij, killing 2 people. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in the town of Habilayn. At least 11 people were wounded.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/yemeni-leader-says-he-wants-international-guarantees-to-sign-agreement-to-step-down/2011/10/19/gIQAg7jEyL_story.html

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