"President Saleh has agreed to entrust his deputy Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi with forming the national unity government in accordance to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative," Saba quoted government spokesperson Abdu al-Janadi as saying.

"The Yemeni government resolves to implement the UN Security Council Resolution 2014 in full, and we call for the opposition leaders to end their weeks-long shuttle trip in Gulf countries and return to Sanaa to implement it," al-Janadi said.

The GCC deal, which was backed by the UN resolution on October 21, stipulates Saleh hand over power to his deputy Hadi and resign in 30 days in return for immunity from prosecution. Hadi would then form an opposition-led national government and arrange presidential elections in 60 days.

Xinhua