President Saleh has publicly expressed his willingness to engage in a peaceful transfer of power; the timing and form of this transition should be identified through dialogue and begin immediately," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement.
His comments came after a senior official for Yemen`s ruling General People`s Congress said the party has accepted a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) plan under which Saleh would stand down.
The Gulf plan would see Saleh submit his resignation to parliament within 30 days, with a presidential vote to be held within two months.
"The GPC and its allies have accepted the GCC initiative in its entirety," said Soltan al-Barakani, the party`s deputy secretary general and head of the its parliamentary bloc.
Saleh had given a cool response Friday to a Gulf plan for him to quit, even as massive crowds returned to the streets to demand his immediate ouster.
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Editor: Bambang
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
