almotamar.net - Assistant Secretary General of the General People’s Congress GPC for Political Affairs Sultan al-Barakani called Monday the Joint Meeting Parties JMP to give priority to the national interest above the personal interest and to put the national loyalty ahead of the political loyalty and to take part in the electoral process seriously and sincerely.


In an interview to the Yemeni Satellite TV Channel Al-Saeeda on Monday evening, Sheikh al-Barakani refused what is said that Yemen is experiencing a crisis, clarifying that the GPC is to hold the election right in its constitutional and legal date and “when we commit ourselves to the constitution and the law it does not mean we are in a crisis. Those sticking to democracy are not in a crisis.”


Al-Barakani added that the crisis is inside the heads and imagination of those working outside the frame of the constitution and the law and try to ride the wave of chaos. “As for us in the GPC we are going ahead in holding the elections on their time in commitment to the constitution, the law and democracy. The country is prepared , the GPC is prepared and the political parties are prepared for holding the elections and they would not be postponed in appeasement of a side, someone or a political party because postponement would entail crises in the future,” al-Barakani said.


The GPC Assistant Secretary General al-Barakani said the GPC called for a dialogue with the JMP in the presidential and local elections and an agreement of principles was signed in June 2006. What was agreed on was carried out by adding two members to the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum SCER from the JMP and was agreed to implement the rest of conditions after the elections, including the formation of the SCER from judges. He added that the JMP backed down from that agreement and started holding dialogue for the achievement of gains and positions rather than for the citizens’ interests.


Al-Barakani emphasized that the dialogues grouping the GPC and the JMP over a year and a half those parties did not submit issues and problems of the people but insisted on the formation of the SCER, affirming those parties of the JMP do not give interest to issues and concerns of the citizens and did not in any day come up with any issue concerning the people. They had only focused on the formation of the SCER and the return to announcement of elections results in constituencies by the SCER centrally in a way leading to compromise and agreements to take place.


Al-Barakani attributed the fear of the JMP from dialogue on the report of the European Union to the fear of the Islah party ‘ Muslim Brotherhood ‘ in Yemen from the woman reaching the parliament due to contradiction of this party’s religious stances towards the woman participation and consequently it impeded any agreement in this regard.


He confirmed readiness of the GPC to have dialogue on the agreement of principles but the JMP did disavow it, “and we do not want through the dialogue to enable the JMP realize interests and gains outside the constitution, the law and democracy,” confirming preparedness of the GPC for elections and it deals with them seriously alongside of the people. He pointed out that the JMP believes that the elections will not be accomplished but with its participation. He added that the JMP’s options other than entering the parliamentary elections would be responded by the citizen who elected the GPC and he would defend his will in the ballot boxes.

In response to a question on postponement of the election al-Barakani said that was completely impossible unless in cases defined in the constitution naming necessities stipulating the postponement and these necessities are not existing at present and therefore “ we will not postpone them because they are constitutional and legal right and a moral commitment for the GPC.”

On the GPC entering the elections with absence of the JMP, al-Barakani said,” The political parties in the arena and the civil society organisations and the woman will be there in the upcoming electoral contest and in the next parliament and the parliament would represent all groups and segments of the society, including the woman. Consequently. The donor organisations are not concerned about parties participation as much as the parliament to be active and have representatives for all the sons of the people and their segments.” He said there will be coming of a strong parliament composed of the real political forces and civil society organisations will be represented in it as well as all segments of the society in order to express all segments of the society.


In his reply to the possibility of returning to dialogue table, al-Barakani expressed the GPC readiness for dialogue on condition of coming out with clear results and not dialogue for the sake of dialogue where the JMP would return against it, he also confirmed “We will continue calling the JMP for participation until the eve of elections on 27 April 2009 but we will not give them constituencies a they want unless the people give them via ballot boxes.”


On allegations concerning participation of the army, the governors, heads of districts, the security and others, al-Barakani said they were ready to give the governors and commands of the army a leave on the day of elections and added that he challenges the JMP to achieve a thing. He said they create excuses to escape from ballot boxes.


The GPC Assistant Secretary General admitted the existence of mistakes in his party’s management of the government, “We admit we have mistakes and have to correct tackle them. We hope the JMP and all opposition parties to be partners in treating the mistakes, the problems and the homeland’s economic, social and political issues and we have in the GPC to reconsider some of the stands related to issues of the people and the GPC has to give priority to tackle problems of the people especially in the southern governorates.” He said he has recently been in the southern governorates and the situations there were not of the amount of exaggeration. The sons of the southern governorates are unionists and affiliated to this homeland and believe in the democratic pursuit more than others.