Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Yemen's president''will''only through the ballot box

Yemen protests to demand political reforms and the resignation of their leaders were exacerbated after Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said he will leave power only if he is defeated in elections in 2013. "If they (opponents) want me out, I'll just go through the polls, "Saleh said, as thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the University of Sana'a to demand his resignation.

Despite growing calls to stop the power it has maintained since 1978, Saleh said a change of regime in the country "is unacceptable" and stressed that those who are leading the protests against his government "are a minority." "If you want power through the ballot box should catch (...) You claim that regime is gone, come and get rid of it through the ballot box." Earlier this month, President Saleh promised reforms and said it will not seek a new mandate in the forthcoming presidential elections scheduled in 2013, but his promises have failed to end the popular discontent.

He insisted that the protesters demanding the end of his term can not achieve its goal through the "anarchy" in reference to the 11 days of protests that have turned violent, leading up to Monday 12 dead and 76 wounded, according to medical sources.

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