South Yemen's independence bid delays National Dialogue

Yemeni President Abed Abu Mansour Hadi received on Sunday Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdul Latif al-Zayani, who is currently visiting Yemen amid the regional and international efforts to achieve a political settlement in the country said the state news agency Saba. According to Saba, Hadi reviewed the steps taken towards a full implementation of the terms of the power transfer deal and its executive mechanism in his meeting with Zayani, as well as the UN Security Council's resolutions. "The Yemeni President made reference to the ongoing arrangements to hold the comprehensive national dialogue in order to make Yemen get out its current difficulties and to achieve ambitions and aspirations of the Yemeni people," said Saba. Hadi also hailed the huge efforts exerted by al-Zayani along with the five permanent members of the Security Council, the European Union and the GCC member states to ensure the safety and stability of Yemen. For his part, the GCC chief congratulated President Hadi over his achievements. He also pointed out that the security and stability of Yemen is the aim of all the international community for ensuring the security and stability of the entire region. The meeting came amid fears that the awaited National Dialogue Conference in Yemen - in which all Yemeni political groups should set for talks on the country's future- may be delayed until February instead of November, as national and international efforts are still failing to convince southern movements to take part in the conference.   In a press conference held on Sunday, the National Dialogue technical committee affirmed that it will continue on its arrangements for the conference, and it will discuss the number of those who will take part in the conference. About 565 politicians from all boards are expected to participate in the conference. Local media sources had affirmed that remarkable progress was achieved in communication with senior leaders including Ali Nasser Mohammad, a former southern president and Haidar Abu Bakar al-Attass, a former prime minister. Some representatives of the southern movements in Cairo announced Sunday that they want an independent South Yemen. Their announcement came after talks they made with the UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Ben Omar, who arrived Sunday in Yemen for a meeting with Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa.