Yemeni political sources have anticipated that exiled southern leaders will come back to Yemen to take part in the national dialogue conference, a Saudi newspaper, Okaz has reported.
The newspaper affirmed that international efforts are exerted to persuade exiled Yemeni leaders including Ali Salem al-Beidh, a former president of South Yemen, to return and participate in the dialogue conference.
The sources told Okaz that these efforts are led by the UN Envoy Jamal Benomar.
They spelt out that guarantees were presented to the leaders, pointing out that they and their families will be given a complete security protection and that they will be allowed to practice their political life freely under Yemen's constitution.
They also said that the leaders were ensured that the dialogue will have no a ceiling and that the southern case will be among priorities of the dialogue's agenda.
Media sources quoted an assistant of Benomar as saying that the UN Envoy did not meet with any exiled leaders and that he conducted intense contacts with them.
A Yemeni newspaper, Akhbar Alyawam, cited that remarkable progress were achieved in communication with senior leaders including Ali Nasser Mohammad, a former southern president and Haidar Abu Bakar Al-Atass, a former prime minister.
Media sources had said that a Qatari mediation led by Emir of Qatar Hamad Bin Khalifa Al- Thani failed to persuade Ali Salem al-Beidh to participate in the national dialogue conference.
Senior leaders of the Southern Movement have recently affirmed their acceptances of participation in the national dialogue conference.