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    January 23, 2012

Yemen's Saleh Leaves for US Medical Visit

   VOA News
   Outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh speaks to the press at the
   presidential palace in Sanaa, January 22, 2012. Photo: AFP
   Outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh speaks to the press at the
   presidential palace in Sanaa, January 22, 2012.

   Outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is heading to the United
   States for medical treatment after asking his people to forgive him for
   any "shortcomings" during his 33-year rule.
   Saleh departed the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, Sunday on a jet for the
   Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman, where he is expected to stay for a
   short time before traveling on to New York.
   A U.S. State Department release Sunday noted that Saleh's request to
   travel to the United States had been approved for the sole purpose of
   medical treatment, and that his stay will be for a limited time.
   In a televised farewell speech just hours before he left, the Yemeni
   leader asked his people to forgive him for mistakes made during his
   autocratic rule. He also vowed to return to Yemen and continue leading
   his ruling (General People's Congress) party.
   Saleh was severely wounded in a bomb attack on his presidential
   compound last June and spent several months recuperating in Saudi
   Arabia. He has spoken previously of a desire to seek further treatment
   in the United States.
   Yemeni opposition activists have staged a year of mass protests
   demanding his immediate ouster, inspired by popular uprisings in other
   parts of the region.
   Thousands of Yemenis rallied in Sana'a on Sunday, calling for Saleh to
   be put on trial for a violent crackdown in which hundreds of people
   have been killed.
   The anti-Saleh protesters reject granting Saleh full immunity from
   prosecution. Yemen's parliament approved the immunity Saturday as part
   of a Gulf Cooperation Council-backed deal to encourage the president to
   leave office. Saleh signed the plan last November and agreed to
   transfer presidential powers to his deputy ahead of February elections
   that will pick his successor.
   Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is the consensus
   candidate of Yemen's ruling party and parliamentary opposition for that
   election.
   In Saleh's meeting with party officials, Yemeni state media said he
   declared Hadi responsible for the country and promoted the vice
   president to the military rank of field marshal.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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