President of the formerly People's Republic of Southern Yemen Ali Nasser Mohammed on Tuesday vehemently denied published allegations that he and other opposition leaders in exile were consulted before signing of the Framework agreement between the GPC and the JMP, Naba News reported.
Nasser described the claims as "a slander with only one goal, to smear, with no basis in reality, adding that he would love it so much if the ruling party as well as the opposition parties could start solving the big problems rather than get trapped in small ones.
Nasser also rejected the joint minute over implementing the February 2009 Agreement signed Saturday by the General People's Congress GPC and the Joint Meeting Parties JMP, insisting that it was not similar in spirit to their framework.
Observers said that President Saleh extended an olive branch to the opposition, mainly the JMP, offering to form a national unity government and announcing an amnesty for imprisoned southern separatists and Shiite rebels.
They also said that Nasser's views were not appreciated by Yemeni lawmakers due do his attitude of tribalism and his policies inspired by the former socialist regime.
The Yemeni Socialist Party YSP was the main partner of the May 22, 1990 unification with the north, but it is now in opposition and most of its leaders live in exile.
The YSP which was once the most active opposition party in the country’s parliament, conceded defeat today, as it appears to have lost the majority of its seats in the recent election. Party leaders say they want to work with the government to build an election process that allows room for genuine competition.