UN envoy again in Yemen as a neutral observer and mediator
13/1/2012 United Nations special envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, is again back in the capital, Sana’a, as he is said to have been sent as a neutral observer and mediator.Six weeks after the signature of the GCC brokered power-transfer deal and the many promises made by both the regime and the opposition of transitioning Yemen into its next phase peacefully, Benomar’s mission is essentially to verify whether President Ali Abdullah Saleh and those who opposed him, have implemented the initiative.In an address to the press, the UN official confirmed that the UN Security Council would meet to discuss Yemen within the next 2 weeks and that he was expected to render his report on the situation in the next coming days, as well as his recommendations.Benomar’s visit comes amid new fears that the situation might revert again to armed clashes since members of the ruling party accused Vice-President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi of defying President Saleh’s authority, going as far as calling him a traitor.Although violence over the past weeks dramatically decreased, many politicians fear that the coming presidential elections will ignite old feuds, and plunge Yemen into the abyss of civil war.Those close to President Saleh have revealed that the autocrat was less than pleased with Hadi since the latter decided to truly act the part.“Saleh was planning to rule through Hadi and other close allies in the government. He is now realizing that Hadi is following his own course and that power is slowly slipping away from him,” a member of the Shura Council told Bikyamasr.com.“Saleh will try to hinder the power-transfer as his intentions are truly to regain control over Yemen. Even though we know it’s impossible, he doesn’t seem to think so himself. He came to power by way of arms, I guess he will leave that way too,” he added.
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