Parliamentary elections scheduled for April, 27 have been postponed until 2011 to give the country time to reform its electoral system. The move follows an agreement between the ruling General People Congress GPC and the opposition Joint Meeting Parties JMP, informed sources said on Wednesday.

"The GPC and the JMP have agreed it is in the national interest to move towards elections together, carrying out political and economic reforms," the GPC Secretary General and Yemen's vice-president said in a statement.

"No one can play Solo cards alone." Political Advisor of the President Saleh, Abdul Karim Al-Iryani said, highlighting the importance of maintaining a dialogue with the opposition parties, mainly the JMP.

Opposition sources said that the agreement to delay the elections was mediated by a delegation of EU and United States National Democratic Institute officials.

The country's main opposition parties had threatened to boycott the April elections, saying preparations for the vote were paving the way for a rigged electoral process. "The Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) that was appointed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh last year was illegitimate," they said.