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    January 17, 2012

Yemen's Foreign Minister Warns of Possible Election Delay

   VOA News
   Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi (file photo).
   Photo: AP
   Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi (file photo).

   Yemen's foreign minister says a presidential election planned for next
   month may have to be delayed because of security problems in the
   country.
   In an interview broadcast Tuesday on al-Arabiya television, Abu Bakr
   al-Qirbi said if Yemen does not deal with the security issues it will
   be "difficult" to hold elections on February 21.
   His comments come days after al-Qaida militants took control of the
   southern town of Radda. Islamist militants also control other areas of
   the country's south.
   The election is part of a Gulf-brokered plan to end nearly a year of
   unrest sparked by calls to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
   Under the agreement, Saleh handed authority to Vice President Abed
   Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who is the consensus candidate of major parties in
   the election.
   Yemen's interim government approved a law earlier this month granting
   Saleh immunity from "legal and judicial prosecution" for any alleged
   crimes committed during his 33-year rule.
   Pro-democracy activists have criticized the transition deal, saying
   they want Saleh and his powerful relatives to stand trial for a
   government crackdown on protests in which hundreds of people have been
   killed.

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