President Saleh calls for early elections to save blood

Source: Reuters, 20/05/2011

SANAA- Yemen's entrenched President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for early presidential elections in a speech to a pro-government rally Friday, though he gave no details on when or how the election would take place.

"We call for an early presidential election to prevent bloodshed ... in a smooth and democratic way," Saleh told a cheering crowd of supporters.

Saleh has been under growing pressure from Gulf Arab and Western diplomats seeking his signature to a power transition deal, twice derailed since April.