Saleh expresses keenness to keep constitutional institutions

SANA’A, Feb. 02 (Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh expressed on Wednesday keenness to keep the constitutional institutions, denying allegations there is an intention to pass power in Yemen. “The public is led by certain powers to an unknown fate, similar to what is happening in Egypt and has happened in Tunisia”, Saleh said in a speech during a joint meeting of the Parliament and Shoura council. “We witnessed four years of tension and mobilization for the wrong reasons. In the end, this will lead to chaos”, he warned. He went on to say ‘’how all the people of Yemen built their country together over 49 years… that all this can be destroyed in a week’’. The President reiterated the call for dialogue with the opposition parties in order to bridge the gap and restore mutual understanding. “Regardless of the circumstances, I will make concessions one after the other for the sake of this nation. The interests of the homeland are above our interests as individuals, parties, groups, and commissions. It is a shame for us to destroy what we built. This is the parliament; let us hold dialogue to reach a common stand”, he explained. The President also announced the freezing of the draft constitutional amendments, which currently put before the Parliament, issuing orders to open the electoral register for registering the people, who reached the legal age, in the records of votes. In addition, Saleh called for the resumption of the duties of the quartet committee which mediates between the General People’s Congress and the opposition parties. He noted to the current events in Egypt and what occurred in Tunisia, confirming that if chaos endows it is difficult to control it. “We are keen to control chaos, which will be detrimental to security and social peace in the homeland”, said Saleh. “There will be no extension of the presidential term and no dynastic succession, contrary to the reports that say otherwise’’. President Saleh urged the opposition parties to stop the protests and sit-ins and return to dialogue through the quartet committee, announcing comprehensive reforms in the process of electing the provincial councils and governors; expanding the social security network to include 500,000 new cases; finding job opportunities for university students in the public and private sectors and establishing a fund to support the youth and fresh graduates. “No doubt that every political force has its own vision and this is natural and our political system is based on political pluralism and freedom of press and respect for human rights”, he said. “Hereditary rule in Yemen is unthinkable at all in my electoral program”, Saleh asserted, adding that his program had specified the presidential term is only two rounds of five years. He affirmed that every Yemeni citizen has the right to defend his property when the mob comes. The President said that since the London Conference was held in 2006, the government has not received any money from any of the donors, with the exception of Saudi Arabia which started delivering grants. The president also calls on the upcoming Riyadh Conference for the Friends of Yemen to establish a fund to finance projects in Yemen in order to limit unemployment among the youth and stop extremism. Saleh concluded by calling on the opposition to form a national unity government and become partners. “I am very certain that the opposition will respond to this initiative which meets their demands”, he said. BA/YA Saba