http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/index.php?lng=en President Ali Abdullah Saleh Web Site. All rights reserved © 1997 - 2007 for Yemen News Agency (SABA). en Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:47:04 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9717 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Tuesday a cable of congratulations to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the occasion of his country’s Independence Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9716 SANA’A- The Presidential Decree No. (1) for 2012 was issued on Monday appointing Essam Abdullah Hussein al-Halali as a member of the Supreme National Authority For Combating Corruption. äÔÇØÇÊ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9715 NEW YORK- President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived Sunday in New York on a visit to the United States for medical treatment of injuries suffered in a criminal attack on a mosque in the presidency palace in June. Upon his arrival, President Saleh was received by Yemeni ambassador to the United States Abdul-Wahab Abdullah al-Hajree and Yemen’s permanent representative to the United Nations Jamal al-Sallal. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9713 LONDON- President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived Saturday in the British capital London coming from the Omani capital Muscat. President Saleh is en route to the United States for medical treatment of injuries suffered in a criminal attack on a mosque in the presidency palace in June. äÔÇØÇÊ Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9711 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Tuesday a congratulation cable to President Pratibha Patil of India on the occasion of the National Day. President Saleh also sent a cable of congratulations to Ms. Quentin Bryce Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the occasion of the National Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9708 SANAA- President Ali Abdullah Saleh has left Sana’a for the US to continue treatment from wounds he sustained from an attack against the presidential palace last June. äÔÇØÇÊ Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9706 SANA’A-President Ali Abdullah Saleh has issued a presidential decree promoting in its first article Lieutenant General Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi to rank of Field Marshal. The second article of the decree stipulates that the decree shall come into force as from the date of its issuance and shall be published in the Official Gazette and military publications. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9709 Sana'a, I am speaking to you over the Yemeni satellite TV stations on the latest developments. Yesterday, in the parliament, the immunity law was endorsed and Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi was unanimously nominated to assume the presidency until 2014, which is a positive achievement. There seems to be misunderstanding over the immunity law, as some see that the first beneficiary of such a law is the president himself or his relatives. This is untrue and a deep misunderstanding. The beneficiary of this law issued in line with the Gulf initiative - which we appreciate - are all those who worked side-by-side with the president during 33 years, whether in civilian, military, or security state institutions. Mistakes were committed, but they were not intentional, as the president enjoys an immunity inspired from his own people. The president spent all his life serving the country. He has not been seeking glory or coveting high-rank positions. He only sought to serve this country My ambition was to offer myself and offer services for the sake of the country. Services have been provided indeed in the fields of development, national infrastructure, and oil, gas, and metal prospection. On top of these services lies the most prominent achievement in Ali Abdullah Saleh life: the restoration of Yemen's unity on 22 May 1990, which I view as a crown on the heads of all Yemenis. Before this Yemeni historic national achievement, the country was experiencing a rift that lasted for over 135 years. The imamate injustice was raging in the north and the colonization injustice was raging in the south, but the ties of the Yemeni family remained closely knit. Despite the colonization and the clerical rule in the north, the Yemenis remained close to each other countrywide, and thus unity naturally emerged over time, without facing any problems. I would like to say on this occasion that I approved the departure of Ali Abdullah Saleh from power by approving earlier the Gulf initiative concluded in Riyadh. I delegated all my powers to the constitutional vice president who will bear responsibility until his election on 22 February. I call upon all Yemenis to rally around the vice president and cooperate with him and with the national consensus government in the country's interest to restore and reform what was destroyed during 11 months. As for the years to come, the vice president will have his own platform and he stands from now as the president of the future. I wish that everyone will stand by his side. Supporting him and the government is tantamount to supporting the country and our martyrs, the ones of September and October and others who fell during the so-called youth revolution and protests that took place during 11 months. We do not need to be too long on this matter. During 11 months, roads and streets have been blocked, electricity has been cut, and an oil pipeline has been bombed. The youth revolution has been hijacked. There were also those who were once affiliated with the General People's Congress [GPC] and defected it because they are corrupt and think they are now victorious. We will leave these matters aside and turn our back to the events of the past. From this place and standing as I am next to GPC leaders, the sons of this country and the sons of September, October, and 22 May, I call on all sides to remain united and achieve reconciliation and openness. But this call excludes situations involving terrorism which should be dealt with at another level. I am calling for openness and reconciliation in the aftermath of the Gulf initiative, as part of a general national conference. People should make it up with each other, armed manifestations should be lifted, roads should reopen, militarization and militias should disappear, so that we can rebuild a new Yemen. Poor youths! They have been spending months in the protests! O youths, return to your homes, return to your homes! Return to your families! I have pity on you and I am asking you to return to your homes and open a new page with the new leadership in place. I am also calling on the GPC leaders, members and supporters as well as the National Democratic Alliance parties to take a serious stand towards the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 21 February and exert their best efforts for this event. This will not be Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi's achievement, but the achievement of all Yemenis. This will be your own accomplishment, o GPC members, who achieved this democratic victory. I am asking you to head to the ballot boxes without delay to elect your candidate, who will be the candidate of reconciliation and the GPC's candidate as well. We have already tried in previous elections to coordinate with other political parties and we know well what such coordination involves. Despite their promises to elect and support the GPC candidate, the empty ballot boxes we found out exposed their real intentions. I rely on you, o GPC members and NDA parties, to fill the ballot boxes with voting cards I thank our own people, men and women, for their sincere stands and for enduring hunger, power cuts, shortage of services and many other issues for 11 months. I ask for pardon from all my people, men and women, for any shortcomings during my 33-year-long rule. I also ask for forgiveness and offer my apologies to all Yemeni citizens, men and women. We have now to focus on our martyrs and wounded people. Again, I am sending my regards and appreciation to all Yemenis, domestically and aboard, for their outstanding steadfastness and ask them to return to their homes and remain calm. God willing, I will leave the country to seek medical treatment in the United States, before returning to Sanaa as head of the GPC. We will inaugurate Abdo Rabbo Hadi as head of state after 21 February in the Presidential Palace. We will play the hymn of national peace and sing the national anthem, in a ceremony held in the Presidential Palace and attended by senior officials. The vice president will then take over the presidential compound while Ali Abdullah Saleh will lift his suitcase, bid the attendance farewell, and return home, according to the established protocol Responsibility has now been granted to brother Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi. On this occasion, I would like to announce to you from here, that this man has been promoted to the rank of general, in respect and appreciation of his stands and national efforts. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9707 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh Sunday called for reconciliation among all political parties and the restoration what the 11-month crisis destroyed. In his speech to Yemeni media in the presence of Vice President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his political adviser Abdul-Karim Al-Eryani, President Saleh said that the parliament’s recent decisions were a good achievement. He pointed out that the beneficiaries of the immunity law were not the president and his relatives only, but all who worked with the President during the 33 years. The president said that he will leave for the United States for treatment, and then return to Sana’a as chairman of the General people's congress party. He added that the Gulf-brokered initiative stated that Hadi would be having the president's responsibilities until the presidential elections, due on 21 February. ’Now the responsibility is entrusted to Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi’’, he said. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9703 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh received Monday a thank-you cable from Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman in reply to a congratulation cable on the occasion of Omani National Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9701 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh received on Tuesday a congratulation cable from President Amadou Toumani Toure of Mali on the occasion of the New Year 2012. äÔÇØÇÊ Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9698 Sana'a– An official presidential source said here today that the Yemeni leadership is committed to implementing the GCC initiative and relevant mechanisms as well as the UN Security Council's Resolution No.: 2014. The same source, in a statement to the Yemeni News Agency, demanded the block Yemeni opposition parties to be committed and to accurately implement the GCC initiative in line with its timetable in order to achieve security and stability for Yemen before early presidential elections can be conducted on 21st of February, and urged them to ignore any statements or remarks issued by hostile sources which attempt to foil the political reconciliation process in Yemen. äÔÇØÇÊ Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9696 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh has decided to stay in the country and to postpone any visit abroad. The President made the decision during his meeting with a number of members of Parliament, Shura Council, the General Committee and the ministerial committee of the General People Congress (GPC). Saleh's decision came in response to the appeals of the attendees, who demanded the President to refrain from paying any visit out of the country particularly in the difficult circumstances that required his presence, underlining that the GPC and the Yemeni people want the President to remain in the country to participate fully in ending the crisis. They stressed that the president traveling abroad would endanger the situation in Yemen and the GPC. During the meeting, President Saleh reviewed with the GPC members in the Parliament, Shura Council, the General Committee and ministers reviewed the latest developments in the national arena pertaining to the implementation of the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism signed in Saudi Arabia late in February. The meeting called on the government and the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) and its partners to abide by the initiative as a whole and to be carried out according to its executive mechanism. äÔÇØÇÊ Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9693 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Sunday a congratulatory cable to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the Revolution Day of Palestine. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9694 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Sunday a cable of congratulations Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on the occasion of his country’s Independence Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9692 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Sunday a cable of congratulations Cuban President Raul Castro on the occasion of his country’s National Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9685 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Tuesday a cable of congratulations to Nepal's President Ram Baran Yadav on the occasion of his country’s National Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9683 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh has announced his support to the newly-formed national unity government, calling on the opposition not to procrastinate in implementing the GCC-brokered initiative launched to end Yemen's political crisis. In a news conference, President Saleh also revealed that he is planning to visit the United States to get away from attention and TV cameras, undergo some routine medical tests and allow the government to prepare properly the upcoming presidential election. President Saleh began his news conference by commenting on the objectives and framework of the Gulf initiative. "Welcome to all TV channels and journalists! I am delighted to speak on the latest developments taking place in Yemen to satellite TV channels, local journalists, and others coming from brotherly and friendly countries. You have all learned about the trip we undertook to Riyadh to sign the Gulf initiative, under the generous auspices of the custodian of the two holy mosques and with the presence of the GCC secretary general, the GCC foreign ministers, the ambassadors of the UN permanent member states, and UN secretary general envoy Jamal Benomar. This Gulf initiative and its mechanism of implementation took a lot of time to be completed and triggered a lot of debate. There was indeed debate over the initiative itself, then over its mechanism of implementation. An agreement was eventually reached over such a mechanism which was laid out according to a timeline, with the aim of implementing the Gulf initiative. We blessed, supported, and approved this initiative to pull the country out of the current crisis, in which some of our fellows in the Joint Meeting Parties [JMP] imitated particular situations taking place in other Arab countries. This happened although democracy, freedom of press, and the respect of human rights - announced upon the advent of the blessed 22 May Unity - exist in our country. Our regime is not a tyrannical and dictatorial one-man regime or a one-party regime. It is rather a pluralistic regime. There is an opposition facing a ruling party which holds the majority and, naturally, the opposition is asking for diversity and partnership. Despite this fact, when the General People's Congress [GPC] won the latest elections - the presidential and the legislative ones - we offered our JMP fellows - and particularly the Yemeni Congregation for Reform, then the Yemeni Socialist Party to enter into a power partnership. They have only recently joined such partnership which was previously offered to them, as I said. When we told them to come forward to us, they said that they chose deliberately to be in the opposition. So we told them that they are free to do whatever they want. Naturally, time passed by and things grew progressively worse since 2006, until the crisis became inextricable, stopped the development process, and halted projects. Later on, security violations were perpetrated, electricity was cut off, roads were blocked, and an oil and gas pipeline was bombed. This is neither a political action, nor a democratic action. This is part of acts of retaliation and sabotage. You can voice your opinion through print and audio media. We welcome our youths working in the media. They are performing their job every day and nobody has ever showed objection to their work. There are no prisoners of conscience. If there were political prisoners, then those who give orders to block roads and violate the constitution and law would have been held in custody. But we believe in democracy, freedom of expression, and voicing counter-opinions. Our country is immense and its people are great. It has 25 million inhabitants and a huge demographic boom is taking place. There is unemployment and wealth is unavailable. There were people talking about oil. We have given them the oil and handed them over the government. They will see by themselves how much oil costs and how much it is sold. He who lives in a house of glass should not throw stones. Yet some political forces, used to plundering, swindling, embezzlement, and stealing public funds, accuse others of committing such acts which are alien to our behaviour. For 33 years, we have been tirelessly striving and taking political steps, with all our brothers and friends, to support the development process. The current achievements were accomplished thanks to loyal men who served the country in various state institutions. I would like to reiterate that they [the opposition] refused to participate in the government and escalated things until the current situation took place. At present, they are choosing partnership, but why is that happening now? Was is not better for you to be our partners from the outset? Why blood is shed? Why roads are blocked? Why do you abduct citizens from the streets? Why do you occupy the houses of citizens and expel them out of their properties? Is it for the sake of gaining 50 per cent of the government portfolios? We offered you earlier half of the government portfolios. We signed this initiative in Riyadh and came to implement it by issuing a republican decree delegating many powers to the vice president. The delegated powers include the formation of a government and the nomination of the prime minister and the ministers. Such delegation of powers also includes presidential powers. I did so for the sake of achieving detente without taking into account some constitutional aspects, although these are part of my right. I waived some constitutional rights, by saying that dropping them will not pose a problem. The vice president formed the government and the government took the constitutional oath before the vice president. These are the powers and rights of the president, which are also the ones of the vice president. The vice president formed the government and set up a military committee to remove barricades and roadblocks and pull off Sana’a's streets those who set up camps and trenches. But then, they raised the height of the barricades to two meters, after it was only 50 centimeters or one meter. They understood the opposite of what they were expected to understand. They set up barricades instead of removing them. A military committee was formed, with the aim of removing roadblocks and obstacles, withdrawing militias, security forces, and other military units supporting the security units. We then said: 'Let the military committee clears the streets, so that we can restore security and safety in the capital Sana’a; the capital of all Yemenis.' But they are holding their ground. They leave the streets to enter into buildings. When they leave buildings, they leave their guns behind. This is some kind of cheating and there is bad faith. They have staged a march running from Taiz to Sana’a with around 2,000 to 2,500 people, including those who joined it from Ibb and Dhamar and some other regions, such as Bayda. They paid YR 100,000 to every marcher. How can they afford to pay YR 100,000 to each citizen? They brought in armed elements, among others, for causing riot and carrying out assassinations. They want such elements to kill policemen and marchers in order to say: 'O world! Behold what is taking place! We came with open and bare chests and the regime is slaying us on the streets.' We are aware of this conspiracy. Many of the international observers and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Sana’a are also aware of this act of cheating. Let us move to the crime of betrayal, treachery, and shame that took place in the presidential palace. I have already talked about it. You may have listened to my speech in Riyadh during the signing ceremony of the Gulf initiative. I said that the Zionists decided to kill Ahmad Yasin, but at the time of carrying out the crime, Yasin was inside the mosque, so they left him in peace for a while. The Zionists did not kill Yasin until he came out of the mosque. I am citing this fact to particular Muslims who raise the slogan of Islam. Whether they are Muslims or claim to be of Islam, such acts reflect treason and feelings of grudge. It is not a grudge against President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Ali Abdullah Saleh will leave the presidency. The presidency is not one of his possessions. He refused it in 2006 and he refuses it at present. I will give up power. I am interested in national security, safety, and stability. I am interested in national security and the safety of the citizens. Power is a heavy burden and not a trophy, as you want it to be. In a press interview, someone said that the president's wealth amounts 60 billion. If the president's wealth is 60 billion, how much would be the wealth of the country or its monetary reserve? This means that the president targets plundering the treasury. The Basindwa government received a public reserve amounting $ 14,700,000 although the crisis has been raging for 11 months. The state remained coherent and protected the public funds. They are currently launching campaigns of strikes to paralyse work in state agencies and ministries and antagonize the state cadres. Such acts are taking place although the agreement, the mechanism of implementation, and the GCC initiative stated that the partnership in the consensus or coalition government will be a political one, reflected in 50 per cent of the government portfolios. These portfolios are therefore political ones, in which no chief executive, general director, or anyone else has any interference. This is a public office that anyone can fill. It does not matter if mistakes are committed by a director general, a head of organization, or a government agency. If a mistake is committed, the council of ministers approves the rectification to be introduced. The council of ministers can bring about change, but let such change take place without strikes. Staged in the Information Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Oil Ministry, and some governorates, the strikes paralyse activity in the state institutions and are irrelevant. The March of Life has entered its fifth day since its launch from Taiz. It is the duty of the government led by Mohammad Salim Basindwa and the security committee to follow up, protect, and determine the course that this march will follow. The marchers committed acts of riot as they set off from Taiz and until they reached Sana’a. They are now heading to Bab al-Yaman, as I am talking to you in this news conference. This is happening although the security committee held its meeting yesterday and determined the course and direction of the march. This is the task of the Basindwa government which should bear its responsibility. This is a national responsibility and not mere talk. The government should monitor the situation on the ground across the governorates and run the country's affairs. Since the formation of this government, I decided that I will not be involved personally in the new emerging situation, as I delegated some of my powers to the vice president and my remaining powers are the sovereign ones. Nevertheless, o vice president, assume your responsibility and issue orders to the government to carry out whichever action you deem appropriate. Eleven months elapsed during which the country, women, children, and old people have been badly suffering to obtain food, water, health, and education. May God's blessing be bestowed upon you. I asserted, in past interviews, that I would keep supporting indirectly this government because backing it means backing Yemen's stability and pulling the country out of this impasse. For our part, we are striving to support the government, but they are not showing any efforts. The political platform that the newly-formed government presented to the parliament is similar to the one of Ali Mujawwar. I found that it does not include anything new, except that the number of pages of the new platform went beyond 10. They just added words to the same content once presented by Mujawwar's government. I am keen to underline this fact. Having said this, we call on the JMP to avoid deception, procrastination, playing with fire, and adhere to the Gulf initiative and its mechanisms without cheating or bypassing the deal. We also call on the secretary generals of both the UN and the GCC and the permanent member states of these bodies to sponsor and thoroughly follow up on this initiative and the implementation of its mechanisms. We call on them to find out who is procrastinating and taking lightly the initiative and assume their full responsibility in this regard. If it turns out that the GPC and its partners are behind the stalling, then we will assume our responsibility. But if they are the ones practicing deception, then they should assume responsibility. Go ahead and pull out from the streets, allow citizens to move freely, go to schools, and hospitals! But no, they want to stay in the streets of course, why is that? It is all about fear, they are used to scaring people and this is why they are so scared now. The evil plans end up affecting those who devised them. They want to stage a march towards the House of Representatives. It is fine! Go out and voice your opinion, but at least get a permit beforehand, set a course for your march according to the law, and speak up your mind afterward! These facts happened although the initiative and its mechanisms are very clear. The initiative is an integrated system. You cannot pick whatever pleases you out of it. It is an integrated system whose parts are interconnected. This is what we talked about upon the signing of the initiative in Riyadh. But now the violation has started. This is a mere violation. The march coming from Taiz is a violation of the initiative and its mechanisms, an obvious violation. O our brothers in the GCC countries! O UN secretary general and UN permanent state members! Keep monitoring events and show the media and the world who is committing the violations and plotting against this initiative and its mechanisms of implementation. But nothing of that is happening! When any kind of violation is committed by the police or the local authorities, the media community grows excited, particularly Al-Jazeera TV, to which many TV channels are now allied. We believe that Al-Jazeera TV clearly expresses its hostility towards Yemen. This hostility aims at destroying Yemen, they want to do so just as they spread havoc in other countries. We are openly and clearly saying it through the media: they are destroying Yemen, so go ahead and tell the truth! We regret that our fellows in Qatar stand behind this blatant hostility towards the great Yemeni people, the source of the Arab identity, the sons of a nation enjoying a wealth of men, culture and history. You should not destroy Yemen by exploiting weak and materialistic minds because instability in Yemen is tantamount to instability in the region. Remember what happened for 20 years in Somalia! The Somalis are now praying God to grant mercy to the soul of Mohammed Barre. They destroyed Somalia and now they cannot do anything about it! Neither the UN, nor the European, African countries or anyone was able to contain the situation in Somalia. This is why we are saying: O neighbouring countries! Protect Yemen's unity, security, and stability, which is part and parcel of your own national security and stability. So protect it! As for us, we will meet them with the same intention they are harbouring towards us; whether ill-intended or well-intended. This is not something new for us. Ever since the dawn of the revolution and throughout 49 years, we have been suffering from one stage to another, experiencing problem after problem. Therefore, I reiterate my appeal to my brothers and friends to protect Yemen's stability, security, and unity. Any shortcoming in Yemen's security and stability will affect the region. This is what I wanted to talk about to the media. I am also ready to hold a discussion with whoever wants to ask questions without repeating what I have just said." Following these statements, a brief question-and-answer session is held with the journalists covering the news conference. Asked whether he will leave Yemen to the United States for medical treatment, President Saleh answered: "I will go to the United States but not for treatment, because I am fine. So first of all, I would like to reassure you that I am fine. I would like to get away from attention and TV cameras and allow the consensus government and the local authorities to prepare properly the upcoming elections. I also want to steer away a bit from the elections, as if I get involved in them they will criticize the president and if I win they will criticize the president as well. I would like to get away from attention, but other than that, I am fine and I will undergo some medical tests. I am definitely fine!" Answering another question on the expected date of his return to Yemen, President Saleh said: "My visit to the United States, if it happens, will only last a few days. During this visit, I will undergo some routine tests and maybe some operations, if need be. Again, I would like to stress that I will not abandon my people and my comrades. I will not abandon the men and women who have been steadfast for 11 months. I will not abandon them and will not abandon either those who resisted to the revolution's enemies for 49 years. I will not leave them behind to fend for themselves." President Saleh then played down the military capabilities of general Ali Muhsin who "leads only 300 soldiers" and relies on "the militias of Al-Iman University and Al-Nahdah Schools". Highlighting further his views on the future of Yemen, President Saleh said: "Yemen is heading towards reconciliation and will turn its back to the past. All the past will be ignored and Yemen will be heading towards security, stability, and unity. This is our ambition and wish, provided that all sides cooperate with us." Commenting on the recent security incidents in Dammaj between Huthist elements and a Salafi group, President Saleh said that "two government delegates are holding contacts to mend the rift between the two sides," adding: "We have exerted efforts in this regard by reaching out to all sides in order to resolve the problem. Local authorities and tribal chieftains are also making efforts. " Finally, asked whether he will pursue his political career as a GPC chairman once the Gulf initiative is implemented and the elections held, President Saleh said: "We already have a candidate, the vice president. He is a GPC candidate working for reconciliation. All brothers and friends consensually approved his candidacy to pull out Yemen from the crisis. We will support him consistently to weather the national crisis and get out of the impasse. As far as I am concerned, I will withdraw from politics as a head of state, but will pursue my political career within the GPC." äÔÇØÇÊ Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9681 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Tuesday a congratulation cable to Japanese Emperor Akihito on the occasion of his Birthday. äÔÇØÇÊ Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9677 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Friday a cable of congratulations to Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on the occasion of his country’s National Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9669 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh met here on Monday with the United Nations (UN)'s envoy to Yemen Jamal Bin Omar. During the meeting, Bin Omar briefed President Saleh on the outcomes of his meetings with various political powers and his visits to Aden and Taiz governorate in the last two days. He also conveyed the UN Secretary General welcomes to the operational steps taken to carry out the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, pointing to the great challenges the national reconciliation government faces, topped by the realizing country's security and providing services. He stressed that the UN would support the government and present all assistance required to enhance Yemen's stability, economy and development. The president valued the role of the UN and its envoy to Yemen, asserting the importance of the all political powers to put the country's interest first to complete the implementation of the Gulf initiative. Saleh called on the international community, particularly UN, to keep on supporting Yemen to reduce the repercussions of the political crisis on the citizens and the national economy. äÔÇØÇÊ Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9663 SANA'A- Vice President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi issued Wednesday the republican decree No. 184 for 2011 forming the Government of the National Reconciliation. Based on the nomination of General People Congress (GPC) and its allies and the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) and its partners, the decree announced the government's members as follows: 1- Mohammed Salem Basindwa - Prime Minister; 2- Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, Minister of Foreign Affaires; 3- Yahya al-Shu'aibi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; 4- Hamoud Ubad, Minister of Endowment and Islamic Affaires; 5- Amat al-Razzaq Hummad, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor; 6 - Omar al-Kurshumi, Minister of Public Works and Roads; 7 - Awadh Saad al-Socatri, Minister of Fisheries Wealth; 8 - Mohammed Nasir Ahmed, Minister of Defense; 9 - Saleh Hasan Sumai, Minister of Electricity; 10 - Hisham Sharaf, Minister of Oil and Minerals; 11 - Nabil Shamsan, Minister of Civil Service and Insurance; 12 - Muammar al-Eryani, Minister of Youth and Sports; 13 - Abdul-Qader Qahtan, Interior Minister; 14 - Mohammed al-Sa'adi, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation; 15 - Ahmed Obaid Bin Daghr, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology; 16 - Ali Mohamed al-Yazidi, Minister of Local Administration; 17 - Sakhr Ahmed al-Wajih, Minister of Finance; 18 - Abdul-Hafez Nomu'an, Minister for Technical Education and Vocational Training; 19 - Farid Ahmed Mujawar, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation; 20 - Abdul-Razzaq Yahya al-Ashwal, Minister of Education; 21 - Ahmed Qassim al-Ansi, Minister of Public Health and Population; 22 - Houriah Ahmed Mashhour, Minister of Human Rights; 23 - Mohammed Ahmed al-Mikhlafi, Minister of Legal Affairs; 24 - Qasim Sallam, Minister of Tourism; 25 - Abdo Razzaz Saleh Khaled, Minister of Water and Environment; 26 - Abdullah Aubal Mandhouq, Minister of Culture; 27 - Mujahid al-Quhali, Minister for Expatriate Affaires; 28 - Wa'ed Abdullah Bathib, Minister of Transport; 29 - Murshed Ali al-Arashani, Minister of Justice; 30 - Saad al-Din Ali Bin Talib, Minister of Industry and Trade; 31 - Rashad Ahmad al-Rassas, Minister of State for Parliament and Shura Council affairs; 32 - Ahmed Ali al-Amrani, Minister of Information; 33 - Jawharah Hamoud Thabet, Minister of State for Cabinet Affaires; 34 - Shaif Ezi Saghir, Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet; 35 - Hasan Ahmed Sharaf al-Din, Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet. äÔÇØÇÊ Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9664 SANA'A - President Ali Abdullah Saleh, head of the General People Congress (GPC) chaired Wednesday a meeting of the members of the GPC parliamentary bloc. In the presence of the Parliament Speaker Yahya al-Rae'i, the meeting reviewed the future work of the parliament and the GPC members' role in the light of the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism signed between the GPC and its allies and the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) and its partners in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The President urged the GPC parliamentarians to cooperate with other parliamentary blocs to help in saving the country from the current political crisis's repercussions and alleviating the people's suffering. The coming stage required intensifying the efforts and contacts with the citizens to identify their needs and solve their issues in addition to their supervisory duty. The GPC parliamentary bloc members asserted that they would spare no effort to avoid the negative aspects and overcome the obstacles impeded the parliament work due to the ongoing crisis. äÔÇØÇÊ Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9662 SANA'A- The Presidential decree No. 30 for 2011 was issued on Tuesday assigning Abdul-Hadi Hussein al-Hamdani as a new presidency secretary general. äÔÇØÇÊ Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9658 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent Monday a congratulation cable to President Tarja Halonen of the Republic of Finland on the occasion of the Independence Day. Finland marks its Independence Day annually on 6 December celebrating Finland's declaration of independence from the Russian Empire. On the other hand, President Saleh sent also a cable of congratulations to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand on the occasion of the National Day. Thailand celebrates the birthday of the king yearly on 5 December. äÔÇØÇÊ Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9657 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered Monday to provide all requisite assistance for the affected people in Daw'an district of Hadramout governorate due to landslide on Sunday. In a phone conversation with Hadramout governor Khaled al-Daini, President Saleh directed the governor to quickly take the necessary procedures to shelter the affected people, whose houses were damaged, and form a committee to assess the damage and submit a related report to the government to take required procedures. Al-Daini acquainted the President with the extent of the damage and the measures taken by the local authorities to alleviate the landside's aftermaths. For his part, Vice President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi made a phone call with Hadramout governor Khaled al-Daini, who briefed Hadi on the repercussions of the landslide in Daw'an district. The Vice President was acquainted with local authority's procedures to tackle the landslide's aftermaths, particularly sheltering the affected families and evacuating the nearby villages as a precautionary measure. Hadi valued highly the role played by the local authority, governmental and popular bodies in easing the affected families' suffering and in shelter them in alternative and safe houses. A landslide hit on Sunday "Menwah" village in Daw'an district due to heavy rainfall resulted in damaging 45 houses, of which 35 were completely destroyed. äÔÇØÇÊ Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9654 SANA'A- Vice President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi issued on Sunday a presidential decree to form a military affaires committee to realize the security and stability in the country. According to the decree No. 29 for 2011, the Vice President is the chairman of the committee that also includes 14 members, topped by the defense and interior ministers. The second article stipulates that the committee's chairman has the right to take the required measures and entrust anyone to carry out the committee's tasks. äÔÇØÇÊ Sat, 03 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9653 SANA'A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh, head of the General People Congress (GPC) chaired Saturday a meeting of the GPC's general committee. In the presence of the Vice President and GPC head's first deputy Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi, the meeting dealt with last developments and the serious escalation in Taiz governorate by the opposition militias and military dissidents. The general committee condemned killing and wounding the innocent people and the sabotage acts in the governorate that aimed to spread havoc and eliminate all chances to carry out the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, holding the opposition and military dissidents responsible for such criminal acts. It called the ambassadors of the States of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the permanent members of the Security Council and the European Union brokered the initiative to visit Taiz and get acquainted with the real situation in there. The committee demanded the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP)'s members who are not involved to determine their stances on the crimes and violent acts occurred in Taiz during the last weeks. On the other hand, the general committee reviewed the dialogue's outcomes with the JMP on forming the national reconciliation government and other issues the two sides have agreed upon. The committee approved the general criteria required to choose the GPC and its alliances' members in the government and authorized the President Saleh and Vice President Hadi to select them according to the approved criteria. It decided to convene a meeting of the GPC permanent committee next Wednesday to discuss the current developments in the country and to name the Vice President as the GPC's candidate for the early presidential elections to be held on February 21, 2012. äÔÇØÇÊ Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9652 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent on Thursday a cable of congratulations to the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on his country’s National Day. äÔÇØÇÊ Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:00:00 GMT http://www.presidentsaleh.gov.ye/shownews.php?lng=en&_nsid=9651 SANA’A- President Ali Abdullah Saleh received a cable of congratulations from Tunisia’s Interim President Fouad Mebazaa on the occasion of the new Hijri year. äÔÇØÇÊ Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:00:00 GMT