Yemen president to step down in month under deal

SANAA, Yemen  Yemen's political opposition accepted a deal Tuesday that would see President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down in 30 days, bringing to an end the country's three-month-long crisis.

The long-term success of the agreement remained in doubt as anti-government activists vowed to intensify demonstrations.

Mohammed Salem Basendwah, chairman of the six-party coalition of opposition  the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP)  confirmed their acceptance of the deal three days after Saleh pledged his agreement to the proposal that would grant him immunity from prosecution. It was brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Basendwah said the deal had not been accepted unconditionally and remained cautious.

"There will be no more negotiations, but we will have to decide later on many things," he said.

Under the GCC plan, the current parliament would pass a law granting Saleh, his family and aides, immunity from prosecution. Seven days after both sides have signed the deal an interim government, split equally between Saleh's ruling General People's Congress party and opposition groups, would be formed to oversee election preparations. Once immunity is assured, and within 30 days, Saleh would resign and hand over authority to his vice president. Sixty days after the transition of power, elections would be held.

"We (the JMP) might take part in the interim government or we might do so after the president has left. … That we will have to decide," Basendwah said.

The aim of the GCC initiative, backed by the USA and the European Union, was to resolve unrest that has swept across Yemen since January. Despite the acceptance of the deal by both political sides, the plan falls short of the expectations of protesters, who rejected the proposal.

"Ali Saleh should resign immediately … and be prosecuted for all his crimes of thievery, incitement, corruption and murder," the youth revolution council said. Spokesman Jamal Nasser described the JMP's decision as "political suicide."

Unconvinced by the GCC plan, protesters continued to demonstrate. Rooftop snipers fired on marching activists, killing one in the highland city of Taiz and wounding eight in the port of Hodeida. Tuesday's violence followed the deaths of three activists, shot dead in clashes with security forces and plainclothes government loyalists Monday.

"Every day is the same now," Abdul Akram said in Taiz. "We march, they shoot at us  but we will not stop, whatever the JMP and Saleh have agreed."