Al-Sahwa [Archives:2008/1220/Press Review]

Thursday, Dec. 25, 2008
Top Stories

– Aden hotels closed in protest against government's decision to increase electricity costs

– JMP Chairman: President Saleh has the key solutions to Yemen's current crisis

– International organizations concerned about Yemen's political crisis, JMP hails their positions

The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) Higher Council held on Tuesday and Saturday a meeting during which it discussed political issues and developments in the nation, as well as the stances of international organizations concerned with such issues, most notably what was released by the U.S. State Department and EU Ministerial Council with regard to the political crisis and the dialogue between the JMP and ruling party that reached an impasse, the website reported in its lead story.

The JMP Higher Council praised the U.S. State Department and EU's stances toward the political crises in Yemen, considering these stances as evidence of their concern about Yemen's democracy and political life. In a press release, the opposition coalition stressed that these visions (of EU and U.S. State Department) are in line with its own views regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Stances of both international organizations confirmed authenticity of JMP's position about the crisis and its declaration that the upcoming parliamentary elections must help Yemen move forward toward authentic democracy. According to JMP, the elections must be an appropriate approach to political reforms and helping the nation get rid of a comprehensive crisis, which is the result of wrong and poor policies pursued by the ruling party.

The JMP further called the ruling party to stick to the Agreement of Principles and EU mission's recommendations in 2006, plus any relevant agreements. The opposition alliance expressed concern over the current approach pursued by the authority in adopting sterile and outdated means that reproduce conflicts and crises in more than a Yemeni area, particularly in the southern governorates where the government create unnecessary conflicts and crises.

The JMP also regretted repression and the approach of rule and divide practiced by the authorities, the website quoted JMP Higher Council as saying in its statement.

According to the website, the European Union had expressed concern about the recent developments, including the postponement of local elections for four years, pointing out that such step could be interpreted as signs of deterioration in the political dialogue between the various stakeholders.

It calls on all parties involved to seek a consensus on the basis of the agreements reached by them, along with the recommendations put forward by the 2006 electoral observation mission, sent by EU.

The website went on to say that the U.S. State Department has expressed concern over the lack of consensus and cooperation between the principal political parties in Yemen calling on , in the meantime, all political parties in Yemen to return immediately to dialogue to reach a consensus on the procedures for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

It further urged Yemen's political parties to use measures that are consistent with recommendations made by international election observers in 2006.

On a side note, the website reported that the Yemeni Centre for Civil Rights held Wednesday in collaboration with the National Fund for Democracy a symposium on democracy future and elections in Yemen.

Several Yemeni politicians and activists participated in the symposium, according to Noor Al-Din Ezzi, chairman of the centre. “The symposium aims to transfer awareness about the current political crises between the ruling and opposition parties into all the concerned organizations