Yemen foreign minister doubts popular revolt
Feb. 10: Yemen’s foreign minister doubts a popular uprising will take place in the country like the revolt which toppled Tunisia’s authoritarian President in January or the anti-government unrest that has swept Egypt. “There won’t be any revolt like that seen recently in Tunisa and in Egypt,” Abu Bakr al-Qurbi said on Wednesday during a visit to Rome.
The politics of the various Arab countries differ and in Yemen, the government has never tried to keep the Opposition out of government, he said. “The Yemeni government has for years dialogued constantly with the Opposition forces, making them play a responsible role,” he told AKI. Yemen has seen recent demonstrations against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who announced last week he would step down in 2013 when his current term of office expires and will not hand over power to his son. Mr Saleh has been in power in the impoverished country for 32 years, and is accused by opponents of repression, corruption and not doing enough to pursue political and economic change and improve living standards. Mr Saleh has often cited security issues as a reason to stall political change. The government is battling a separatist movement in the south, a rebel group in the north, and Al Qaeda cells that have been blamed for attempted terrorist attacks on international flights. Links between secessionist groups and Al Qaeda cells in southern Yemen have yet to be proven and are being probed by anti-terrorism agents, according to Mr Al-Qurbi.
Post new comment