Yemeni President Announces Transfer of Power

• March 25, 2011 09:33

Al Jazeera TV channel published a statement by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on March 24 pledging that he would transfer power peacefully, but did not specify the time or conditions.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh

Faced with a wave of protests calling for his resignation after three decades in power, President Saleh has proposed holding new presidential elections before January 2012 instead of September 2013, when his term expires. "By all means, we can move towards political dialogue so that power can be transferred peacefully through constitutional institutions," he said.

However, President Saleh also vowed to defend himself by "all means possible" against protesters seeking to oust him, and called on military officers who defected to the opposition to "reform."

In a televised speech to police and military officers, he asserted that "we are determined to ensure Yemen's security, independence and stability by all means."

The leader also offered amnesty to military deserters and called on him to resign.

According to VNA