[Iran Press TV] The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council cancels the ceremony slated for the signing of a proposed deal on Yemen crisis after facing President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to sign.The press office of the regional Arab grouping's Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani said, "The ceremony, that was supposed to be held [on Sunday], ...will not take place," AFP reported.
On Saturday, Saleh backtracked on his earlier agreement with the plan, which obliges him to stand down within 30 days of signing the deal with the Joint Forum opposition coalition. The head of state would instead ensure immunity from prosecution for himself and his aides.
Saleh has been in office for nearly 33 years with several opposition members arguing that his long-promised reforms have not taken place.
Some 40 percent of Yemen's population lives on USD 2 a day or less and one third is wrestling with chronic hunger.
In a popular revolution, hundreds of thousands of people have turned out for regular demonstrations in Yemen's major cities since late January, calling for corruption and unemployment to be tackled and demanding that the president step down.
The popular protests in Yemen have been confronted by riot police and supporters of Saleh armed with knives and batons.
The corpse count in the country since the launch of the revolution has surpassed 300.
The Persian Gulf bloc's ministers would now meet in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where the finalization ceremony was supposed to be held, to discuss the future of the deal.