The German ambassador to Sana'a Holger Green said that former President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh's... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it...
and his relatives' interference in Yemen's affairs complicates matters for current President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, warning that the EU actions will be very painful.
His comments came after US President Barrack Obama issued an executive order on this past Wednesday giving the Treasury the authority to freeze the assets of Yemeni officials obstructing the transitional process and the implementation of the GCC-brokered power transfer deal signed in Riyadh in Nov. 2011.
In an interview with a local English newspaper, Green stressed that Saleh has not left the political scene in Yemen yet, citing the recent events in which Saleh and his aides proved that they are still influential in the country's politics, much to the dismay of Hadi.
Speaking about Hadi, he says Yemen has a full legitimatized President who enjoys the support of the whole international community.
Green underlined the importance of the upcoming national dialogue to kick off soon, as maintained in the GCC deal, and cautioned that the failure of the dialogue will be disastrous for Yemen.
"I think it is not a good idea to enter dialogue with preconditions as it only helps complicate matters," Green said.
He ruled out the possibility of a short-term remedy for Yemen's crises and noted that the investment in people is the best way to boost the economy as the natural resources are not sustainable.