Sanaa: Yemen's opposition parties have
nominated the head of their coalition to lead the first
government after veteran President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed
to quit in 90 days, a spokesman said on Saturday.
Mohammed Basindawa, a former member of Saleh's ruling
party, was chosen late last night to head a national unity
government, Mohammed Qahtan, the spokesman of the opposition
Common Forum, told agency.
"His name will be presented today to Vice President
Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi" who is now the Executive President
according to the Gulf-brokered deal signed on Wednesday, he
said.
Saleh signed the exit agreement in Riyadh after months of
dodging domestic and international pressure to step down after
33 years in office.
According to the Gulf-and UN-sponsored roadmap, Saleh
hands to Hadi "all powers necessary for proceeding with the
Gulf initiative and its implementation mechanism and for
organizing early elections within a 90-day period which begins
immediately after the signing."
Saleh remains as an honorary President during this
period, while the opposition puts forward a candidate to head
a national unity government.
Saleh yesterday, however, appeared to continue to perform
his role, ordering from Riyadh investigations into the
shooting on protests in Sanaa by loyalist gunmen, in what was
seen as a breach of the deal.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, November 26, 2011, 18:47