Brussels, 22/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 22 February, the high representative of the EU for foreign affairs described the presidential elections in Yemen of 21 February as an “important milestone” in the country's transition. This vote opens “a new chapter in the country's history - a chapter offering the promise of long-awaited change for the people of Yemen”, Catherine Ashton explained. The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also congratulated the people of Yemen on having “succeeded in ending the 33-year reign of Ali Abdullah Saleh”.
He spoke out against the attacks on a number of polling stations, which left several dead. Ashton stressed that the attempts to “disrupt the election with violence will not be allowed to derail the transition”. She added that those responsible for such violence must be held to account.
The head of European diplomacy said that “positive and lasting change” will require President-elect Hadi and the national consensus government, to “respond with great determination to the aspirations of the Yemeni people”. “The national dialogue, reconciliation and constitutional reform process which must now begin should pave the way for a genuinely inclusive, democratic and civil state, which responds to the needs of all Yemenis”, she added.
More than 12 million Yemenis were called to the polling stations on Tuesday 21 February, to elect a successor to Ali Abdallah Saleh. The deputy president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi was the only candidate. (CG/transl.fl)