GCC countries work on plan for Yemen's president to go

The United States and Gulf countries appear ready to push aside Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a long-time ally in the fight against al Qa'eda's Yemen-based wing.

SANA'A // A Saudi and Gulf Arab plan for Yemen's president to step down and end a political crisis will guarantee the veteran leader and his family immunity from prosecution, an opposition source said on Thursday.

The United States and Gulf countries including Yemen's key financial backer, Saudi Arabia, appear ready to push aside a long-time ally against al Qa'eda's Yemen-based wing to avoid a chaotic collapse of the poorest Arab state.

Mr Saleh's at times violent response over the past two months to mass protests against his 32-year rule, inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, has tried the patience of Washington and Riyadh, both of which have been the target of attempted attacks by al Qa'eda's Yemeni branch.

The Gulf proposal for talks in Riyadh was presented to Mr Saleh and a coalition of opposition parties this week. Mr Saleh welcomed it, and Gulf sources said it envisaged handing power to an interim council of tribal and political leaders who would help appoint a national unity government ahead of elections.

An opposition source said the proposal would give Mr Saleh and his family, whose control over key posts has long irked Yemenis, immunity from prosecution for corruption.

The proposal would also see Mr Saleh hand over power to a vice president, the source said. The incumbent Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi has said he does not want such a role, which suggests Mr Saleh would appoint a new figure.

"They informed the opposition that their vision is based on Saleh leaving power after handing authority to his deputy and then forming a national unity government that will prepare a new constitution ... and parliament elections," he said.

"The Gulf vision is also based on Saleh's proposal that both he and Gen Ali Mohsen ... leave Yemen, and the Gulf countries have committed to guarantees that Saleh and his family will not face prosecution after they leave," the source added.

Gen Mohsen was one of a string of generals, diplomats and tribal leaders who turned against Mr Saleh after snipers killed 52 protesters on March 18.

Though Gen Mohsen's army wing is protecting protesters camped out in Sana'a, he is widely mistrusted as a kinsman of Mr Saleh who was for years a loyal pillar of his rule.

Talks in recent weeks, which had included the US ambassador in Sana'a, had become bogged down over Saleh's demand for assurances that he and members of his family would not face prosecution - a demand of the street activists, who may object to any deal the Gulf Arabs or the opposition come up with.

* Reuters