President Ali Abdullah Saleh said that he instructed his party to negotiate an agreement with the opposition to hold early presidential elections in Yemen.

In a speech on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr on Monday, he said, "the General People Congress party will be responsible to negotiate with the leaderships of the opposition parties, the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the ambassadors of the United States and the European Union to put an operational mechanism of the Gulf initiative and sign without delay."

Saleh added, “We are all able to find many constitutional vents that help us to overcome this crucial phase in the history of our people.”

Huge demonstrations have taken place in the country for nearly seven months, demanding an end to the continued governance of Saleh who has been ruling Yemen for 33 years. 


Saleh is still receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia after an assassination attempt last June while he was performing Friday prayers along with senior state leaders who were wounded in the incident.

Recently Shura Council Chairman Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani died as a result of the assassination incident.