Sana'a: The UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Bin Omar arrived in the Yemeni capital yesterday while government and opposition have sent positive signals about nearing a deal that could end months of political crisis in Yemen.
Early last month, Bin Omar unsuccessfully ended his fifth mission in Yemen as he failed to break the stalemate.
Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh had agreed several times to sign a deal but back-pedalled on the promise every time. The deal provides Saleh, his family and close aides immunity from prosecution.
Government-run Saba news agency yesterday quoted Bin Omar as saying that the aim of his visit was to follow up political efforts to end the current crisis.
Tarek Al Shami, the ruling party's spokesman, told Gulf News that his party was waiting for the opposition delegation, which is currently outside the country, to return and agree on the implementation mechanism of the GCC deal. Then the president or his deputy, Abdul Rabu Mansour Hadi, will sign the deal. "The signature of the president or his deputy is not a big deal now because the UN resolution entails that the president or his authorised deputy sign it."
The opposition, on the other hand, stated that the deal would be signed in the coming days in the Yemeni capital in the presence of Bin Omar. The opposition insisted that Saleh first sign the deal and then it will discuss the implementation mechanism.
