[Yemen Post] President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower...
said on Friday that Al-Qaeda might capture some and important parts of Yemen if he leaves office, as officials in the ruling party said the GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif Al-Zayani would arrive in Sana'a today to secure a teetering GCC-brokered power transfer deal.
Saleh mentioned provinces such as Hadramout, Shabwa, Abyan, Marib and others where AQAP is active, saying in his address on Unification Day that Al-Qaeda will control the situation here after the regime falls.
" I send a clear message to the West, which are backing the GCC initiative, that Al-Qaeda will succeed and control the situation here, and such countries will then realize that is worse," he said.
Regarding the GCC plan, Saleh said he is dealing with it positively, though he said the plan is a 'mere coup scheme'.
Saleh has backed out from the ouster plan, unveiled in April, twice. On Wednesday he refused to sign at the last minute, triggering fears about the fate of the deal.
Saleh's remarks today triggered skepticism of politicians and observers who argued Saleh has already blown up the Gulf effort.
Meantime, informed sources said President-for-Life Saleh
... exemplifying the Arab's propensity to combine brutality with incompetence...
and the opposition may conclude the deal later today, amid the refusal of the youth-led protesters who have been conducting month-long street sit-ins to call for an immediate, unconditional ouster of the regime.
On Friday, opposition officials said the signing had been agreed this week, but they suggested that on Saturday, while the government suggested that take place on Sunday.
Saleh called on the same day for early presidential election to prevent bloodshed, as he continued the usual rhetoric and accusations against the opposition, on which the current situation is blamed.
He also criticized Yemen's neighbors and friends, urging them to deal with what is happening in Yemen in a better way, at a time when external pressure is mounting on him to sign the deal and start an orderly power transition immediately.