US President Barack Obama urged Yemen on Wednesday to immediately implement a deal under which President Ali Abdullah Saleh has agreed to hand over power after 33 years in office.
“The United States will continue to stand by the Yemeni people as they embark on this historic transition,” Obama said in a written statement.
Saleh, who has been the target of opposition protests since January, signed the deal in Riyadh, ending months of delay that had seen protests degenerate into deadly unrest.
Under the agreement, the veteran leader will hand over his powers to Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi but remain honorary president for 90 days.
“The United States urges all parties to move immediately to implement the terms of the agreement, which will allow Yemen to begin addressing an array of formidable challenges and chart a more secure and prosperous path for the future,” Obama said.
He praised the Yemeni people for “courageously and steadfastly” pressing for change in their country despite “violence and extreme hardship.”
“Today marks a significant step forward for the Yemeni people in their quest for a unified, democratic, secure, and prosperous Yemen,” said Obama’s top diplomat Hillary Clinton, praising neighboring Gulf states for their role in brokering the deal
“We urge all parties within Yemen to refrain from violence and to move swiftly to implement the terms of the agreement in good faith and with transparency — including credible presidential elections within 90 days.”
She said Washington would continue to “closely monitor” the political transition in Yemen, and looked forward to shoring up ties with Sanaa.
Saleh had repeatedly backed out of signing the deal brokered by Yemen’s wealthy Gulf neighbors since the parliamentary opposition inked it back in April.
During his months of prevarication, deadly clashes between loyalist and dissident troops had riven the capital, while militants, some linked to Al-Qaeda, took advantage of the decline of central government control in the provinces to set up base.
