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Following are excerpts from an interview with Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh, which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on March 25, 2011:
Ali Abdallah Saleh: I am not clinging to power, but to whom should I transfer it? To the unknown? They are constantly seeking the unknown. They want to get rid of the regime...
Interviewer: So there was no discussion about who President Ali Abdallah Saleh should transfer the rule to, in the event that he decides to resign?
Ali Abdallah Saleh: Absolutely not. This was never discussed.
Interviewer: The Joint Meeting Parties did not offer any options...
Ali Abdallah Saleh: Every time the government offers an initiative to end this crisis, the Joint Meeting Parties raise the threshold of their demands. I tell them that we are ready to discuss calmly how to transfer the rule, because I am not clinging to power. But to whom should I transfer it? To the unknown? As long as you are bringing down government compounds, besieging branches of the central bank, and attacking the police, it would be like transferring power to the unknown, to anarchy. This is recklessness on their part. They want the regime to go, no matter who rises to power. All they want is to topple the political regime, even if it means transferring power to the Devil.
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I have been in power for 32 years. This is a very extensive experience, and I want to transfer it peacefully to the people, not to anarchy.
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The Joint Meeting Parties are a minority. Their demonstrations in the streets do not draw more than 2.5% of a population of 25 million. They hold demonstrations of 4,000 people, while I hold demonstrations of one million people. If they can arrange a rally of 20,000 people, I can hold a rally of 2-3 million people.
How can a minority possibly twist the arm of the majority? This is unheard of anywhere in the world. It's unacceptable. It's unacceptable for a minority in society to twist the arm of the majority. You may have seen the millions who gathered yesterday at Al-Sabeen Square – this was a referendum on [my] legitimacy.
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We express our regret about the clashes with civilians, because pure blood was shed, and we consider the dead to be martyrs...
Interviewer: Mr. President, this is not what I am saying, but what they say. They say that 52 people were killed by snipers, who shot them in the head.
Ali Abdallah Saleh: This is exaggerated. According to my figures, there were only 41, more or less.
Interviewer: So let's say 41...
Ali Abdallah Saleh: The identity of 7 or 8 is still unknown.
Interviewer: They said that shooting people straight in the head...
Ali Abdallah Saleh: That's right, yes...
Interviewer: This could not be done by regular citizens. They had to be trained.
Ali Abdallah Saleh: The Yemenis are sharpshooters.
Interviewer: They are dangerous. I should be scared to walk down the street...
Ali Abdallah Saleh: The Yemenis are all sharpshooters. They are all trained to use weapons.
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Yemen is a time bomb. Unless we work with all the good-willed countries, Arab and others, to narrow the gap and engage in political dialogue, there will be a devastating civil war, which will engulf the entire region.
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