也門總統再次拒絕簽署辭職協議

【新唐人2011年5月23日訊】業門總統薩利赫星期日（5月22號）參加了他所在的業門執政黨-人民大會黨簽署海灣合作委員會調解協議的儀式，但是薩利赫再次拒絕簽署辭職協議。薩利赫的支持者武裝包圍了阿聯酋駐業門大使館，使海灣合作委員會的負責人、美國及歐洲大使無法離開。同時，大批民眾走上街頭，要求薩利赫立即辭職。

當天，薩利赫的支持者和反對者都舉行了遊行示威，薩利赫號召支持者在協議簽署後再將其推翻。支持者們在簽字儀式之前武裝包圍了阿聯酋駐業門大使館的道路，並封鎖了大使館的入口，企圖阻止大使館內的海灣合作委員會負責人、美國及歐洲大使出席簽字儀式，後來這些外交人員乘直升機離開。

與此同時，已經持續三個月的反政府遊行也在繼續進行，吸引了上萬人參加。

一名反政府示威者：“我們會在這裡示威, 直到所有關於改革的要求都得到滿足，而不僅僅是讓這個政權倒臺。趕走這個政權是最主要的，但是我們會將遊行進行下去，直到改革的要求得到滿足。”

從抗議薩利赫的活動開始以來，政府和民眾的衝突中已有170多人喪生。

在海合會對業門局勢的最新調解方案裡，據悉包括薩利赫在30天內宣佈辭職、他及家人將享有豁免權等。此前海合會兩次提出的業門局勢調解協議都被薩利赫拒絕了。

新唐人記者林一綜合報導。

StoryWestern and Gulf diplomats failed on Sunday (May 22) to persuade Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to sign a deal that would ease him out of power and make him the third Arab leader ousted by popular protests, diplomats said.

Saleh, a political survivor who had already twice backed out of signing at the last minute, was under intense diplomatic pressure to seal the Gulf-brokered deal to end three months of protests against his rule.One of the diplomats told Reuters it had failed.

A Gulf diplomat said the Gulf Cooperation Council bloc of Yemen's wealthy oil-exporting neighbours may withdraw its initiative as a result.

Yemeni TV on Sunday broadcast pictures of members of the ruling General People's Congress signing the agreement in the presence of Saleh, who did not put pen to paper.

A representative of the GPC's political ally, the National Democratic Alliance was also seen signing.

In a television address, Saleh indicated he would not sign unless the opposition, which had signed the deal on Saturday (May 21), attending a signing ceremony at the presidential palace, something they refused to do.

"The President said, 'yes, I will sign if the opposition come public (presidential) palace', as they are going to be partners in the transitional government," Saleh said.

The deal would have given Saleh immunity from prosecution, ensuring a dignified exit after nearly 33 years at the helm of the Arabian Peninsula state, located on a shipping lane through which 3 million barrels of oil pass every day.

Hundreds of armed Saleh loyalists rallied against the deal on Sunday, blocking main roads and preventing a Gulf mediator from leaving the United Arab Emirates embassy to head to the presidential palace in Sanaa for the signing, witnesses said.

Armed Yemeni government loyalists trapped Arab and Western diplomats inside an embassy on Sunday to block the signing. They later left the compound by helicopter.

The United States and Saudi Arabia, both targets of foiled attacks by al Qaeda's Yemen wing, are keen to end the Yemeni stalemate to avert deeper chaos that could give the militant network more room to thrive.

More than 170 protesters have been killed in a crackdown on demonstrations, part of the wave of uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East that swept aside the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt.