SANA'A: Mohamed Qahtan, the spokesperson for Yemen's Joint Meeting Parties and head of the Muslim Brotherhood vehemently criticized former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh for continuing to meddle in the affairs of the state when the GCC power-transfer agreement clearly enunciated that he would have to retire from political life altogether upon stepping down from the presidency. After a year of bloody and violent popular uprising, Saleh was pressured into signing an initiative, which clearly provisioned for his departure from power in favor of his deputy Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi against an immunity blanket, given that he refrained from any political activities from that moment on. The ban from political life did not however prevent Saleh from resuming his position as the Head of the General People's Congress, receiving visits from foreign officials in that capacity. On the day following the much controversial inauguration ceremony, which saw an emotional Saleh hand over the country's flag to Hadi, entrusting him with the reins of power, UN special envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, visited Saleh at his residence to discuss the future of the country and congratulate him on his achievement. The move which was perceived by many as a clear infraction of the GCC initiative prompted wide popular outcries, forcing politicians of the opposition to take a strong stance against Saleh. “The GCC-crafted power transfer deal, which was pushed through by the entire international community and their mounting pressures on us, has guaranteed a safe and honorable exit for him [Saleh] with the aim of averting more bloodshed or potential armed conflict. However, If Saleh stood defiant and stubborn he would end up in jail,” said Qahtan. Although Saleh was rumored to be planning his exit by relocating to Ethiopia following international pressure, seems now to be comfortably slipping into his role of leader of the ruling party, with much of his support network still in place, with his son and nephew running the two most powerful military units in the country, the Republican Guards and the Central Security Forces. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/np0n9 Tags: GCC, Politics, Reprisals, Saleh Section: Latest News, Yemen
