President Ali Abdullah Saleh said today Yemen would not become a failed state nor be dragged into civil war despite fierce clashes in the capital with tribal gunmen who are trying to force him out of office.
Mr Saleh (69), who has ruled the fractious Arabian Peninsula state for nearly 33 years, said he remained willing in principle to sign a Gulf-brokered deal to end his rule that he backed out of on Monday. But he would make no further concessions.
"Yemen, I hope, will not be a failed state or another Somalia. The people are still keen for a peaceful transition of power," he told Reuters in an interview.
Yemeni loyalist forces have fought fierce street battles in the capital Sanaa since Monday with guards from a powerful tribal federation whose leader has sided with protesters demanding an end to Mr Saleh's rule. The clashes have killed at least 39 people.
The opposition warned that attacks by loyalist forces could spark a civil war, and the violence greatly dimmed prospects for a political solution to a nearly four-month-old revolt inspired by protests that swept aside the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia.
"What happened was a provocative act to drag us into civil war, but it is limited to the Ahmar sons. They bear responsibility for shedding the blood of innocent civilians," Saleh said. "Until this second, they are attacking the Interior Ministry. But we don't want to widen the confrontation," he said.
The clashes, in the sandbagged streets surrounding the mansion of tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar, erupted after Mr Saleh refused on Sunday at the last minute to sign a Gulf-brokered deal that would ease him out of power within a month.
Mr Saleh has backed out of previous deals, but Sunday's turnabout appeared to be among the most forceful, coming after loyalist gunmen trapped Western and Arab diplomats in the United Arab Emirates embassy for hours.
Yemen's leader said the deal remained on the table. "I am ready to sign within a national dialogue and a clear mechanism. If the mechanism is sound, we will sign the transition of power deal and we will give up power," he said, adding: "No more concessions after today."
Reuters