Sanaa: A new version of a Gulf Arab proposal to end Yemen's political crisis called for a three month transition plan that would end with a presidential election, a senior Yemeni official told Reuters on Thursday.

The proposal, which called for an immediate end to protests, would see President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down within a month of signing the initiative and hand over powers to his vice president, the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

According to the Gulf plan, a unity government led by the opposition would work to organise presidential elections within two months of Saleh's resignation.