President Saleh refused to sign GCC deal

By Nasser Arrabyee/22/05/2011

The Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Sunday he would only sign the GCC deal in presence of the opposition leaders, official source said Sunday.

The opposition leaders already signed the deal separately , and Saleh wanted them to come to his Palace to sign.

However, Saleh’s ruling party signed the US-backed and Saudi-led GCC deal, the official news agency Saba.

Saleh supporters delayed the signing about two hours by preventing the GCC chief and US, UK ambassadors from getting out from the UAE embassy in Sana’a.

Armed supporters of Saleh, refusing the deal, were deployed in almost all the exits and entrances of the capital Sana’a since early morning on Sunday.

They even prevented President Saleh from getting out his place in the Police Colleague where he was holding a meeting with senior officials of his party.
The opposition representatives signed the deal late Saturday in the house of Mohammed Basindow, one of the five politicians chosen by the opposition to sign.

However, Saleh and his party were very angry why the opposition did not come to Presidential Palace.

Saleh’s party said they would not recognize the signature in “closed rooms”.
The opposition refused to go to the Presidential Palace and meet Saleh.