Yemen's Prez Delays Resignation

Al Jazeera reports

The party of the Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh has said that he will not sign a proposed deal to hand over power 'behind closed doors' and, instead, wants a public event held for all to attend, including opposition leaders.

The statement issued early on Sunday came hours before Saleh was scheduled to sign the deal and is the latest in a series of mixed signals from Yemen's embattled president.

Saleh backed away from signing a pact at least twice before, adding to the opposition's deep mistrust of a leader known for adept political manoeuvring that has kept him in power for decades.

The US-supported deal, mediated by Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states, calls for Saleh to step down in 30 days in exchange for legal immunity from prosecution.

Saleh's party insists that a public ceremony must be held at the presidential palace, and all political parties, the GCC secretary general, and foreign ambassadors must attend.

Yemen's opposition coalition signed the deal on Saturday, based on what it said were guarantees that the president would sign on Sunday.

It was signed in the presence of US and European Union ambassadors, a foreign ministry official said.

The GCC brings together six states including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Jamila Ali Rajaa, a former adviser to the Yemeni foreign minister, told Al Jazeera on Saturday that she was optimistic the president would sign the deal.

"I think this time definitely he will," she said.

"There is a lot of pressure on him from the GCC, especially Saudi Arabia and also from America and the European Union."

But she said the signing of the pact may not end the protests as demonstrators are not willing to leave the places they are occupying, insisting the opposition does not represent them.