Government Postpones it Dialogue with Opposition on Elections Law [Archives:2001/29/Local News]

The government of Mr. Abdulqadir Bajammal postponed its third meeting with the opposition parties scheduled for yesterday till next Wednesday. The dialogue the government is holding with those opposition is meant to discuss the amended draft law of elections. Yemen Times learned that the postponement is because Mr. Bajammal wants to reconcile the differences between the opposition suggestions to amend the electoral system at large and the goverment’s proposed amendments on the elections law.
The source said that the government is likely to refuse most of the opposition’s suggestions such as the one which stipulates the establishment to monitor the government’s work as it doesn’t cope with the constitution. The government will not look into the opposition’s request to conduct national reconciliation and sweeping away the impacts of the 1994 Civil War as well as finding solutions to the Yemeni Socialist Party’s problems resulting from the civil war as this request is the focal point of the discussion and dialogue about draft amended law of elections.
The opposition parties along with Islah presented a paper to the government that included all their views on reforming the electoral system in Yemen. The opposition has refused the abolishing of the political parties’ representation in the Supreme Elections Committee (SEC). They suggested that the SEC include 9 members instead of 7 nominated by their parties and approved by the parliament. It also refused the endorsement of the president’s right to fire any of these SEC members.
The ruling party, General People’s Congress, will probably find no problem in getting the amendments endorsed by the parliament as it enjoys majority.

——
[archive-e:29-v:2001-y:2001-d:2001-07-16-p:./2001/iss29/ln.htm]