Saleh to vote in presidential poll

Sana'a: Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in New York for medical treatment after agreeing to step down following months of protests, will return to vote in presidential polls, a member of his party said yesterday confirming reports in state media.

"He will return and the General People's Congress [GPC] party wants him back to attend and supervise the elections, and to peacefully hand power over," Abdo Al Janadi, a member of Saleh's GPC, told reporters.

State news agency Saba reported on Tuesday that Saleh had told visitors he would "participate" in the elections on February 21, in which Vice-President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi is the sole candidate. Saleh had said he is in "good health", it added.

US officials had said Saleh would not return to Yemen until after the referendum-like election, stipulated by a Gulf plan to confirm Hadi as a president for a two-year term.

Protest at US mission

Meanwhile, dozens of women protested outside the US embassy in Sana'a against what they said was an attack on Saleh in New York, where he has been since late January for medical treatment for injuries from a June bomb blast.

"We demand that the United States apologise to Saleh as he has immunity and US authorities must protect him," said Najat Al Wajra, a protest organiser.

A video posted on Youtube this week showed Saleh outside what looks like his hotel in New York surrounded by bodyguards blowing kisses amid loud chants apparently by protesters gathered on the other side of the street demanding his trial.

"Saleh hold your head up high, the Yemeni people are your guards," chanted the women, waving Saleh's pictures and Yemeni flags. "We are the president's supporters. [Yemen is] not Egypt or Tunisia."

On November 23, Saleh signed a Gulf initiative after months of stalling, handing over power to Hadi to implement the plan and organise an early election within 90 days.