Tens of thousands of opposition supporters protesting Thursday morning Yemen in Sana'a, the capital, demanding democratic reforms and the ouster of President Ali Abdallah Saleh, in power for thirty-two years. A few hundred yards away, on the Al-Tahrir, had held a similar gathering of supporters of the ruling General People's Congress (GPC).
Under pressure from the street, Mr. Saleh, whose power has toughened over the past fifteen years, has made several concessions to the opposition on Wednesday. Before Parliament, meeting in special session, he stated that he would not seek re-election and said he was "against the inheritance of power." He also announced the postponement of legislative elections scheduled for April 27, whose dress was contested by the opposition and the "freezing of constitutional amendments" which could pave the way for election of president for life.
With these concessions "in the national interest," Mr. Saleh called on the opposition to "freeze events" and to resume dialogue with the power to form a "government of national unity." Despite the conciliatory tone of the very head of state, the opposition, who suspected the President want to hand over power to his eldest son, Ahmed, leader of the Republican Guard, maintains its call for demonstrations.
Thousands of Yemenis, inspired by Tunisia and Egypt had already expressed in Sanaa on January 27 to demand the departure of head of state. The current mandate of Mr Saleh, who has been in power since 1978, expires in 2013. One time considered a model of political openness in the Arab world, the power of President Saleh has hardened after the civil war that pitted southerners and northerners in 1994.
Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries, is the only republic of the Arabian Peninsula. The situation in this country of 24 million people is very sensitive for the United States, who fear the fragility of a unified country in 1990 under the leadership of President Saleh, who faces an armed rebellion in the provinces North.
It also has been established in Yemen in February 2009, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) that stalk Yemeni forces with the active assistance of the United States. Fearing a weakening of the regime, Washington has welcomed the statements by the head of state, considered "positive" by the spokesman for the State Department Philip Crowley.
"Just as we have seen in Egypt, it is important that governments in the region (...) do follow their statements by acts and undertake political reforms, social and economic," he said . 
Under pressure from the street, Mr. Saleh, whose power has toughened over the past fifteen years, has made several concessions to the opposition on Wednesday. Before Parliament, meeting in special session, he stated that he would not seek re-election and said he was "against the inheritance of power." He also announced the postponement of legislative elections scheduled for April 27, whose dress was contested by the opposition and the "freezing of constitutional amendments" which could pave the way for election of president for life.
With these concessions "in the national interest," Mr. Saleh called on the opposition to "freeze events" and to resume dialogue with the power to form a "government of national unity." Despite the conciliatory tone of the very head of state, the opposition, who suspected the President want to hand over power to his eldest son, Ahmed, leader of the Republican Guard, maintains its call for demonstrations.
Thousands of Yemenis, inspired by Tunisia and Egypt had already expressed in Sanaa on January 27 to demand the departure of head of state. The current mandate of Mr Saleh, who has been in power since 1978, expires in 2013. One time considered a model of political openness in the Arab world, the power of President Saleh has hardened after the civil war that pitted southerners and northerners in 1994.
Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries, is the only republic of the Arabian Peninsula. The situation in this country of 24 million people is very sensitive for the United States, who fear the fragility of a unified country in 1990 under the leadership of President Saleh, who faces an armed rebellion in the provinces North.
It also has been established in Yemen in February 2009, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) that stalk Yemeni forces with the active assistance of the United States. Fearing a weakening of the regime, Washington has welcomed the statements by the head of state, considered "positive" by the spokesman for the State Department Philip Crowley.
"Just as we have seen in Egypt, it is important that governments in the region (...) do follow their statements by acts and undertake political reforms, social and economic," he said .
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