State TV: Yemen's president signs power transfer deal
President Ali Abdullah Saleh has appeared several times to be on the verge of agreeing to hand over power.
November 23rd, 2011
11:24 AM ET

State TV: Yemen's president signs power transfer deal

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed a deal aimed at ending Yemen's months-long political crisis Wednesday, video broadcast on Saudi Arabian and Yemeni state television showed.

His executive powers would be transferred to Vice President Abdo Rabu Mansour Hadi "effective immediately" once Saleh signed the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, a spokesman for Yemen's embassy in Washington said before the signing.

The GCC-brokered accord, which is backed by the United States and the European Union, would allow Saleh to resign from power in exchange for immunity from prosecution. But the agreement also allows Saleh to retain his title as Yemen's president for 90 days, until elections are held, according to a Western diplomat in Yemen.

Yemen has been the scene of violent protests for months as Saleh's opponents demanded he leave power after 33 years in office.

Saleh told United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon that he will come to New York City for medical treatment after signing an
agreement to end his 33-year rule, Ban said Wednesday.

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soundoff (8 Responses)
  1. banasy©

    Ah, so he wants medical treatment...is that why he signed this agreement?

    November 23, 2011 at 11:55 am | Report abuse |
    • Surfguy

      Interesting he wants to come to the US for medical treatment. Aren't we told by this administration and congress how horrible our medical system is? Maybe because he is a President he will get that 1% preferable treatment...Just saying!

      November 23, 2011 at 12:52 pm | Report abuse |
  2. bobcat ( in a hat )

    Yeah, the same 1% preferential treatment that our "lawmakers" get. That's why they don't give an owls hoot about any of us getting decent medical. They've got theirs, provided by we the taxpayers.

    November 23, 2011 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  3. George Patton

    Is this creep Ali Abdullah Saleh really going to step down or is this but another ploy on his part to stay in power? Even if he does, then what about his henchmen who want to keep on living off the fat of the land? And thirdly, will Yemen continue to take orders from Washington D.C. if he quits? Hopefully not!!!

    November 23, 2011 at 2:56 pm | Report abuse |
  4. banasy©

    !!!

    November 23, 2011 at 3:22 pm | Report abuse |
  5. chrissy

    didnt he sign it with the stipulation that for the following 90 days he still, in name only, be president? thereby assuring diplomatic immunity? musta been afraid he was gonna get locked up for war crimes while in the states eh? cant we refuse medical aid

    November 23, 2011 at 6:21 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Joey Isotta-Fraschini

    The fact that this slime Saleh gets immunity from prosecution is an obscene outrage. This man needs to be held accountable for his heinous actions just like any other hardened criminal. Like JFK once said, life is not fair!!!!

    November 23, 2011 at 7:31 pm | Report abuse |
  7. banasy©

    Not JIF @7:31.

    November 23, 2011 at 10:37 pm | Report abuse |
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