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Outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is getting ready to leave the country after delivering a farewell speech on Sunday, apologizing for mistakes and saying it is time to hand over power, Yemeni officials said.
Aides to the president told The Associated Press that Saleh gathered top political, military and security officials and announced promotion of Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to the rank of marshal. He is set to replace Saleh.
"I appeal to you to forgive my past mistakes," one top ruling party official quoted Saleh as saying. "Today, I leave the country in your hands," he said, according to the official, who was among those attended the event early in the morning. In November Saleh signed a power transfer deal but has balked at actually leaving.
Another aide who attended the meeting quoted Saleh as saying, "I am leaving this good country, today. I want to bid you farewell from this place. I thank each one of you and offer my apology to the people and ask for forgiveness."
On Saturday, Yemeni officials said that Saleh intends to leave soon to Oman, en route to medical treatment in the United States, part of an American effort to get the embattled strongman out of the country to allow a peaceful transition from his rule.
Washington has been trying for weeks to find a country where Saleh can live in exile, since it does not want him to settle permanently in the United States. The mercurial president, who has ruled for more than 33 years, has repeatedly vacillated over whether he would leave.
Yemen President Gives Farewell Speech, Apologizes - ABC News
Aides to the president told The Associated Press that Saleh gathered top political, military and security officials and announced promotion of Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to the rank of marshal. He is set to replace Saleh.
"I appeal to you to forgive my past mistakes," one top ruling party official quoted Saleh as saying. "Today, I leave the country in your hands," he said, according to the official, who was among those attended the event early in the morning. In November Saleh signed a power transfer deal but has balked at actually leaving.
Another aide who attended the meeting quoted Saleh as saying, "I am leaving this good country, today. I want to bid you farewell from this place. I thank each one of you and offer my apology to the people and ask for forgiveness."
On Saturday, Yemeni officials said that Saleh intends to leave soon to Oman, en route to medical treatment in the United States, part of an American effort to get the embattled strongman out of the country to allow a peaceful transition from his rule.
Washington has been trying for weeks to find a country where Saleh can live in exile, since it does not want him to settle permanently in the United States. The mercurial president, who has ruled for more than 33 years, has repeatedly vacillated over whether he would leave.
Yemen President Gives Farewell Speech, Apologizes - ABC News