SANA'A: Yemen's president, hospitalized in Saudi Arabia after an attack nearly a month ago on his palace, has instructed his deputy to hold talks with political opponents on a deal to transfer power and end the nation's spiraling political crisis, his foreign minister said Wednesday. The opposition, wary after numerous pledges, dismissed the announcement. Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi, the foreign minister, was speaking after a quick visit with President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was badly burned and suffered other wounds in the June 3 attack on his compound in Yemen's capital, Sana'a. Nearly five months of protests by crowds calling for his ouster have left Saleh clinging to power. Defections by key allies and immense international pressure have failed to push him to negotiate an end to his nearly 33 years in power. “The president directed his deputy and the government to begin dialogue with the other parties in the opposition in accordance with the Gulf initiative and the latest UN Security Council statement,” Al-Qirbi said, speaking on Yemeni television. The Security Council has pressed for inclusive political dialogue. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council first proposed a deal for transferring power months ago. In return for stepping down, Saleh and his family would get immunity from prosecution. Saleh promised at least three times to sign the deal but each time balked at the last minute. In response to Wednesday's announcement, the opposition said that at this point, anything less than an immediate transfer of power would fall short of their demands. “Yemen can't take anymore maneuvering or declarations to waste time,” said opposition spokesman Mohammed Qahtan. “The economic and security conditions are very serious and what is required first is an immediate decision to begin transfer of power and then dialogue can come.” Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has been acting as president in Saleh's absence, and had met with the opposition before. However, hard-liners in Saleh's party had refused to discuss any transition of power in the absence of the longtime president. Saleh had been expected to address his people, and officials said he may speak by Thursday. But the Yemeni health minister, who also visited Saleh in Saudi Arabia, said only that the president would appear on the media “soon,” without naming a date. The minister, Abdul-Karim Rafei, said Saleh was in good health, but didn't elaborate. In Washington, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner urged a move forward regardless of Saleh's anticipated speech. “It's important that Yemen move forward no matter what President Saleh may say.” Meanwhile, five Yemeni soldiers were killed in fresh fighting Thursday with alleged Al-Qaeda militants in the restive southern city of Zinjibar, a military official said. “Five soldiers were killed and six others were wounded in heavy fighting with Al-Qaeda militants in Zinjibar's east,” the source said, adding that there were also “deaths and injuries in the ranks of the enemy.” A medical official in the nearby city of Aden confirmed the toll.
