Yemeni opposition signs GCC-brokered deal

Xinhua, May 22, 2011

The Yemeni opposition on Saturday evening signed the GCC-brokered deal, which requires President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down in order to end months-long political deadlock, an opposition official said.

"The opposition Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) signed the US- backed deal proposed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the presence of GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani, a day before President Ali Abdullah Saleh was due to ink the deal, which stipulated him to quit within a month," the official told Xinhua.

Ambassadors of the United States, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kuwait to Yemen witnessed the signing at the opposition headquarters.

"We hope that Saleh would not dash hopes for a rapid end to the prolonged crisis," he said.

Al-Zayani arrived in Sanaa on Saturday on his third official visit to urge the two sides to ink the GCC-brokered deal after embattled Saleh announced that he will accept the agreement on Thursday.

According to Yemen's official Saba news agency, the GCC secretariat issued a statement earlier Saturday in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh, stating that the al-Zayani's visit followed an official invitation by the Yemeni government to complete the procedures of signing the deal to settle the political crisis in Yemen.

Under the deal, which was pressed by Western countries and GCC leaders, Saleh would leave office within 30 days after signing the agreement in exchange for immunity from prosecution, and a new government, to be formed by the opposition within seven days, should arrange the presidential and parliamentary elections in 60 days.

The deal has been derailed twice since April over previous disputes between Saleh and the opposition.

An official of the ruling party said Saleh would sign the deal on Sunday which coincides with the 21st anniversary of the reunification of Yemen.