Yemen leader says ready to step down by year-end

Source: Arab News / AP

Mar 22, 2011 13:26
SANAA, Yemen: A spokesman for President Ali Abdullah Saleh says the Yemeni leader is willing to step down by the end of the year as part of a “constitutional” transfer of power.

Ahmed Al-Sufi told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Saleh informed senior Yemeni officials, military commanders and tribal leaders of his intention in meetings on Monday night.


Read more: http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article325587.ece

to military.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/yemens-leader-says-he-is-ready-to-step-down-by-years-end-vows-not-to-hand-power-to-military/2011/03/22/ABHnPXBB_story.html

Yemen’s embattled U.S.-backed president pledged to step down by year’s end but vowed not to hand power to military commanders who have joined the opposition in defections that he branded as an attempted coup, a spokesman said Tuesday. Saleh had rejected an earlier opposition demand that he resign by the end of the year.

Presidential spokesman Ahmed al-Sufi told The Associated Press that Saleh met with senior Yemeni officials, military commanders and tribal leaders Monday nigh and vowed not to hand power to the military. He said the Monday defection of military commanders including longtime confidante Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar was a “mutiny and a coup against constitutional legitimacy” .

In a sign of the Obama administration’s growing alarm over the regime’s crackdown on demonstrators, State Department spokesman Mark Toner called on the Yemeni leader to refrain from violence.

“We abhor the violence. We want a cessation of all violence against demonstrators,” Toner said, calling on Saleh to “take the necessary steps to promote a meaningful dialogue that addresses the concerns of his people.”

As long as the military stays loyal to the dictator, he's not going anywhere, protests or no protests. As soon as part of the military goes over to the side of the protesters, it represents a "“mutiny and a coup against constitutional legitimacy".

Seems like a sound PR strategy. Other dictators are probably watching to see how well this spin works domestically and internationally.