CAIRO: At least 25 Yemeni protesters were killed on Sunday as citizens continued their calls for President Ali Abdullah Salah to remain in Saudi Arabia and give up power. It came as diplomatic sources were reported saying that a deal on a transfer of power could be in the works. Security and police used anti-aircraft weapons and automatic fire on tens of thousands of protesters in the capital Sana'a. It was the deadliest attack on civilians since protests began at the end of February. However, differing reports on a proposed GCC transfer of power deal have been reported as well, with one Saudi diplomat saying an agreement could be done within the week. Other reports, also based on a Saudi diplomat, unnamed, said a deal is likely in the next few weeks. “There are no encouraging signs of imminent power transition … No deal could be reached between Yemeni Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the opposition neither in 20 nor in 30 days,” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity to China's Xinhua news agency. “The opposition coalition parties have not given green light to Hadi for launching the dialogue to reach a deal for setting a timetable and mechanism for implementing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative,” he said. The embattled Yemeni president has remained in Saudi Arabia recovering from injuries sustained during an attack on his palace in June. Other sources say the Saudi government has offered him a lavish palace to stay in the country, which would end his 33-year rule over Yemen. Earlier this week, Saleh signed a presidential decree that would authorize the current government remaining in Sana'a to sign the GCC initiative that would set a timetable for a transfer of power with the opposition. Saleh's move is being welcomed by the United States, which said Thursday that “there were encouraging signs for the GCC power- transition deal to be accomplished within one week.” The opposition said that Saleh must sign the deal before any dialogue is launched. “We have long expressed our stance over resolving the political standoff and we signed the GCC deal in May, which Saleh had backed out of signing it for three times,” opposition spokesman Mohamed Qahtan told Xinhua Sunday. “Now we have no more talks with the ruling party General People ‘s Congress (GPC) … The GCC deal is clear enough and it's now up to GPC officials and to Saleh's deputy Hadi to sign the deal … We are waiting,” said Qahtan. “Instead of signing the deal, the GPC and Hadi are wasting more time through providing further conditions which are completely unacceptable,” Qahtan added, without further elaborating. The deal, which was pushed forward by the United States and Gulf countries, stipulates that Saleh should leave office within 30 days after signing it in exchange for immunity from prosecution, and a new government should be formed by the opposition within 7 days and should arrange for a presidential election in 60 days. BM
