Profile: Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Yemen - BBC News

April 23, 2011, at 23: 10 GMT update Mr. Saleh has maintained a strong following within the Yemen despite the turbulence popular Ali Abdullah Saleh has proved to be one of the most stubborn leaders of the Arab worldproject an image resembling a man of State, even affable, in the teeth of popular opposition, unlike some of his counterparts from sharp in during the spring of "Arab".

While the Yemen saw the bloody repression of demonstrations in the capital Sanaa and other cities, the President sought - with decreasing success - distance themselves from violence.

Critics say that it is a cunning politician, using all means and escape to stay in power, promising output policy to wait his time in an effort to extend its fourth decade at the top.

"[He] was always held by creating confusion, crisis and sometimes fear among those who might put in him,"expert Yemen Sarah Phillips wrote an article for the newspaper The Guardian of the United Kingdom.""

Mr. Saleh led one of the most difficult countries in the region, a vulnerable poor state militancy, positioned between the oil-rich authoritarianism of Gulf States and the anarchy of Somalia and still healing from a division of the Korea-like during the cold war.

Now, approaching his 70th year, he has often compared the task of the decision to Yemen "dance on the head of snakes".

Balancing Act

The Republic of the modern Yemen is inextricably tied to Mr. Saleh, elected the first President after reunification in 1990.

Born in Sana'a and receiving little education, he worked his way through the army of the Yemen in the North, was injured during the civil war of 1970 between Republicans and royalists supported by Saudi Arabia.

Taking part in a coup four years later, he took his first national in 1978, when leadership role Parliament endorsed him as President.

12 Following years saw the painstaking work of Marxist unification, South Yemen, a process that appears briefly collapsed in 1994 when civil war broke out.

Abroad, Mr. Saleh has largely reached the delicate task of keeping the Western and Arab powers aside.

His battle for control of al-Qaeda - who have felt a comparable basis in Afghanistan - to the Yemen in the 1990s won him friends in Washington.

Otherwise, the Americans could keep of a leader who had remained close to Saddam Hussein the Iraq during the occupation of the Kuwait.

Turning point

The spectre of civil war is something that Mr. Saleh continued to refer to justify its hold on power.

"[The opposition] they want to drag the area of civil war and we refuse to be moved to the civil war," he said in a speech on April 22, the eve of the news broke that he had agreed to leave the impending power.

"Safety, security and stability are in the interests of the Yemen and the interests of the region."

The shooting of 45 people by snipers at a rally of the opposition in Sanaa on March 18 had proved a turning point for the most part, despite its denials that its security forces took part.

Ministers and ambassadors have abandoned in protest, and the crowd in the streets grow in the weeks that followed.

With outrage now added to the anger at the corruption and poverty, he did not address for decades, "snake dance" days of Mr. Saleh appeared to be almost more.

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Saleh of Yemen may close in exchange for immunity, official says - BusinessWeek

April 24, 2011, 4: 41 am EDT by Mohammed Hatem and Glen Carey

(Updates with comment fifth and seventh paragraphs.) See the EXTRA and places to learn more about regional unrest).

April 24 (Bloomberg) - Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has accepted a plan negotiated in the Council of the Gulf Cooperation that allows it to relinquish power in exchange for immunity, a government official said.Saleh would transfer power to a Deputy Minister within 30 days and hold elections 60 days after that this, Tarik al-Shami, spokesman general decision of the Congress of the people, said in a telephone interview yesterday. The opposition must put an end to demonstrations and accept immunity for Saleh and his assistants and all of the terms of the GCC plan, said al - Shami .the GCC officials seek to avoid an escalation of violence in the country, or a military fatal gap like in Libya. Growing social unrest also threatens to strengthen al-Qaeda seeks to use the Yemen, the poor Arab nation, as a base to destabilize the neighbor Saudi Arabia, the largest exporter of crude oil.Saleh would be the third leader forced from Office since popular unrest spreading across the Middle East, this led to the overthrow Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia.Police and snipers killed 46 demonstrators in Sanaa, the capital, last month, which prompted several military and Government officials to abandon the system of Saleh. A total of 109 demonstrators have been killed since February 11, according to Majed al-Madhaji, Arab sisters Forum spokesperson for the human rights of the Sana ' A.Longtemps "it is possible that Saleh is manoeuvring," Theodore KarasikDirector of research at the Institute based in Dubai for the Middle East and the military analysis of the Gulf, said today in a telephone interview. "The more time that it gets the better it is for himself and his followers.". Thirty days is long in Yemeni politics and it is likely to be more disputes. "The United Arab Emirates United, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan urged all parties to the Yemen to accept the plan of the CCG at a meeting yesterday with his Yemeni counterpart, Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi, said Emirates News Agency. The GCC "keeps on stability and unity of the Yemen," Sheikh Abdullah was quoted as saying by the press service.The plan of the Yemen Council could "solve the political crisis in a peaceful and orderly manner," the Obama administration yesterday said in a statement by the White House email. "We encourage all parties to act quickly to implement the terms of the agreement", said the statement.Protest against RightsA weak central Government in the risk Yemen also mirroring the situation in Somalia, across the Gulf of Aden, there where it has not been an administration works since 1991. Somalia became a breeding ground for pirates who attack shipping lanes.The Parties of the joint meeting, a coalition of six opposition groups, also accepted the plan of the CCG. They would not participate in a Government of national unity Saleh during the 30 days it will remain in power, said Mohammed al-Sabri, a leader in the opposition. They also support the right to protest. "When they said that the ruling party has accepted the plan, it was clear that he has accepted as Saleh is the President of the party,"said ruling party al-Shami. The party him Secretary General Abdel Latif al-Zayyani that he has approved the plan, said.Civil war RiskSaleh meeting with al-Zayyani April 21 to resolve the crisis. The Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates United, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait, held separate meetings this month with representatives of the General Congress of the people and the opposition.Saleh said yesterday that the opposition was pushing the country of the Arabian Peninsula toward civil war. "They want to drag the area of civil war and we refuse to be moved to the civil war, Saleh said in a speech to the military and students, the official Saba press service. He said power should change "at the ballot box and not by a coup," and those who want power "should be brave and to call for early elections if presidential or parliamentary elections," according to Saba.Protests continued yesterday in the city of Taizwhere the crowds demanded the end of the rule of the Saleh, Rashad Mohammed, an eyewitness, said by telephone. The majority of the stores of the city was closed for a general strike, he said. In Aden, more than 90 percent of shops, schools and businesses were closed on Saturday, said Marwan al-Yafee, an eyewitness.

-With the help of Todd Shields in Washington. Editors: Andrew j. Barden, Paul Armstrong

To contact the reporters on this story: Mohammed Hatem to Sana ' A-mhatem1@bloomberg.net. Glen Carey in Riyadh at the gcarey8@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew j. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net

View the original article here

Saleh of Yemen may close in exchange for immunity, says official

April 24, 2011, 4: 41 am EDT by Mohammed Hatem and Glen Carey

(Updates with comment fifth and seventh paragraphs.) See the EXTRA and places to learn more about regional unrest).

April 24 (Bloomberg) - Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has accepted a plan negotiated in the Council of the Gulf Cooperation that allows it to relinquish power in exchange for immunity, a government official said.Saleh would transfer power to a Deputy Minister within 30 days and hold elections 60 days after that this, Tarik al-Shami, spokesman general decision of the Congress of the people, said in a telephone interview yesterday. The opposition must put an end to demonstrations and accept immunity for Saleh and his assistants and all of the terms of the GCC plan, said al - Shami .the GCC officials seek to avoid an escalation of violence in the country, or a military fatal gap like in Libya. Growing social unrest also threatens to strengthen al-Qaeda seeks to use the Yemen, the poor Arab nation, as a base to destabilize the neighbor Saudi Arabia, the largest exporter of crude oil.Saleh would be the third leader forced from Office since popular unrest spreading across the Middle East, this led to the overthrow Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia.Police and snipers killed 46 demonstrators in Sanaa, the capital, last month, which prompted several military and Government officials to abandon the system of Saleh. A total of 109 demonstrators have been killed since February 11, according to Majed al-Madhaji, Arab sisters Forum spokesperson for the human rights of the Sana ' A.Longtemps "it is possible that Saleh is manoeuvring," Theodore KarasikDirector of research at the Institute based in Dubai for the Middle East and the military analysis of the Gulf, said today in a telephone interview. "The more time that it gets the better it is for himself and his followers.". Thirty days is long in Yemeni politics and it is likely to be more disputes. "The United Arab Emirates United, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan urged all parties to the Yemen to accept the plan of the CCG at a meeting yesterday with his Yemeni counterpart, Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi, said Emirates News Agency. The GCC "keeps on stability and unity of the Yemen," Sheikh Abdullah was quoted as saying by the press service.The plan of the Yemen Council could "solve the political crisis in a peaceful and orderly manner," the Obama administration yesterday said in a statement by the White House email. "We encourage all parties to act quickly to implement the terms of the agreement", said the statement.Protest against RightsA weak central Government in the risk Yemen also mirroring the situation in Somalia, across the Gulf of Aden, there where it has not been an administration works since 1991. Somalia became a breeding ground for pirates who attack shipping lanes.The Parties of the joint meeting, a coalition of six opposition groups, also accepted the plan of the CCG. They would not participate in a Government of national unity Saleh during the 30 days it will remain in power, said Mohammed al-Sabri, a leader in the opposition. They also support the right to protest. "When they said that the ruling party has accepted the plan, it was clear that he has accepted as Saleh is the President of the party,"said ruling party al-Shami. The party him Secretary General Abdel Latif al-Zayyani that he has approved the plan, said.Civil war RiskSaleh meeting with al-Zayyani April 21 to resolve the crisis. The Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates United, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait, held separate meetings this month with representatives of the General Congress of the people and the opposition.Saleh said yesterday that the opposition was pushing the country of the Arabian Peninsula toward civil war. "They want to drag the area of civil war and we refuse to be moved to the civil war, Saleh said in a speech to the military and students, the official Saba press service. He said power should change "at the ballot box and not by a coup," and those who want power "should be brave and to call for early elections if presidential or parliamentary elections," according to Saba.Protests continued yesterday in the city of Taizwhere the crowds demanded the end of the rule of the Saleh, Rashad Mohammed, an eyewitness, said by telephone. The majority of the stores of the city was closed for a general strike, he said. In Aden, more than 90 percent of shops, schools and businesses were closed on Saturday, said Marwan al-Yafee, an eyewitness.

-With the help of Todd Shields in Washington. Editors: Andrew j. Barden, Paul Armstrong

To contact the reporters on this story: Mohammed Hatem to Sana ' A-mhatem1@bloomberg.net. Glen Carey in Riyadh at the gcarey8@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew j. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net

View the original article here

Yemen opposition spurns talks, defines Saleh deadline - Reuters

Demonstrators carrying posters of revolutionary leader Che Guevara (L) and the late President of the Northern Ibrahim al-Hamdi Yemen during a demonstration demanding the eviction of President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Yemen in the South of Taiz city on April 13, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Khaled Abdullah

SANAA. Thu April 14, 2011 6: 11 am EDT

SANAA (Reuters) - the Yemen opposition has rejected an offer Thursday to join the talks mediated by the Gulf in Saudi Arabia on a transfer of power and set a deadline of two weeks for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign.

Gulf Arab Foreign Ministers had said that they would invite Saleh, who has faced two months of demonstrations demanding his resignation and his opponents talks mediation on a transfer of power. However, the opposition a fight on the offer.

"We renewed our focus on the need to accelerate the process of quality (Saleh) down for two weeks.". "So we go to Riyadh," said Mohammed al-Mutawakkil, a prominent opposition leader.

Allies Saudi Arabia and West of the Yemen fear a deadlock in the State of the Arabian Peninsula could ignite clashes between rival military units in the capital and elsewhere and cause chaos that would benefit from a wing based at the al-Qaeda Yemen active.

Opposition of the Yemen first rejected a statement by the Council of the Gulf cooperation framework for the discussions, had been to be held in Riyadh, because it seemed to offer Saleh a waiver of prosecution in the future and has not asked for an immediate transfer.

Later, they met the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and the Kuwait, Oman Tuesday seeking clarification of the understanding of the "transfer of power," GCC that does not specify a time for Saleh to resign.

Some opposition leaders had suggested that the talks could begin as early as Saturday, before said Mutawakkil clarifications offered by the ambassadors of the Gulf had been insufficient.

"We did not find in the clarification that the ambassadors presented everything which responds to our requests for immediate removal," said Mutawakkil. "There was nothing new by the ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council."

Saleh agreed to the framework of the talks, even if another player key, General Ali Mohsen, a relative of Saleh, whose units are protecting the demonstrators in Sanaa, have accepted the plan of the CCG.

Technically, a transfer of power to the Yemen could last until the next presidential election scheduled for 2013, a perspective the opposition considers unacceptable.

Saleh has offered for new parliamentary and presidential elections this year in political reforms, but said that he should stay in power to oversee the change or to submit to what he calls the "safe hands".

(Reported by Mohammed Ghobari.) Written by Cynthia Johnston. (editing by Andrew Dobbie)

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