The ruling and opposition parties confirmed on Friday they will conclude the GCC power transition plan next week, though the government suggested that on Sunday and the opposition on Saturday.

On Wednesday, President Saleh refused to sign the deal after he suggested earlier that five from the General People's Congress, the governing party, and five from the Joint Meeting Parties, the opposition bloc, sign the deal.

He asked to change the five representatives from the opposition, triggering the anger of the GCC Secetary General, Abdul Latif Al-Zayani, who arrived in Yemen on a third visit this week to push the West-backed effort.

Al-Zayani blamed Saleh as being the only obstacle to signing and left the country without securing the deal that would see Saleh resign and end the month-long crisis.

More recently, external pressure on Saleh, mainly by the U.S. and the EU mounted, with countries urging all parties to sign the GCC plan and start an orderly power transfer in Yemen immediately.

Abdul Janadi, Deputy Information Minister, said that President Ali Abdullah Saleh has already agreed to finalize the deal next Sunday, but if the opposition shows commitment to removing all causes of unrest including the month-long street sit-ins and protests.

" President Saleh wants the signing coincide with the celebrations on Unification Day," he added.

The opposition confirmed the signing was agreed by the parties in Yemen, but they suggested that take place on Saturday not Sunday.

" If President Saleh wants to leave office on Unification Day or wants to finalize the deal on the celebrations, we prefer to celebrate on the streets along with the protesters in the squares of change and freedom in various cities," said Muhammad Abdul Malik al Mutawkil, a senior leader and former rotating president of the Joint Meeting Parties.

" Next week, President Saleh should sign first because he refused to sign at the last minute of preparation on Wednesday, not us," he said.

Currently, I think there are talks between the government, the GCC countries and other partners including the U.S., he added.

Meantime, the youth-led antigovernment protesters in the squares of change and freedom in many cities refused the deal and urged the people to take to the streets to express the refusal to it and demand an immediate, unconditional ouster of the regime.