President meets with GPC parliamentary bloc

SANA’A, April 26 (Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh met on Tuesday with the parliamentary bloc of the General People’s Congress (GPC) and discussed with them the latest developments in the national area. The meeting shed lights on the current situation caused by the Joint Meeting Parties and the role to be played by the Parliament to face these situations in order to preserve security, stability and unity of the country, in addition to the supervisory and legislatory tasks the Parliament should perfume in the coming period. The GPC MPs reviewed the exerted efforts to end the crisis, specially the Gulf efforts, and affirmed support to the constitutional legislation as well as respecting the will of people which they showed via voting. They rejected any coup on democracy and the constitutional legitimacy, stressing that the constitutional institution will continue to be firm and active in performing its tasks to protect achievements of the county, topped by unity and democracy. For his part, the president welcomed the attendance, affirming commitment to the democratic discipline which Yemen adopted. The era of coups has gone and the only way to peacefully exchange power can only be maintained through ballot boxes, the president said. He reviewed the exerted efforts in order to get out of this crisis, making clear that the concessions he presented were for the sake of avoiding bloodshed and conflict and noted the Gulf efforts. “We are not against change, but by the peaceful democratic means and within the constitution and respect for the people’s will,” Saleh said. He criticized the Joint Meeting Parties for attempting to hinder development and democratic process in the country since the last presidential election in 2006. President Saleh also dealt with the initiative of the Gulf Cooperation Ministers, noting that it is welcomed and will be dealt with as an integral system within the frame work of the constitution of the Republic of Yemen. AMAM Saba