Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that the US regrets that Yemen's president has not complied with agreements to leave the country and allow elections for a successor. Her comments came as Yemen's foreign minister suggested next month's presidential vote could be delayed because of security concerns. A top ruling party official also told The Associated Press that President Ali Abdullah Saleh met with high-level security officials this week and decided to ask parliament to delay the elections until May 22, which would be a violation of the US-backed agreement the president signed in November. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. “There have been agreements with respect to the way forward that have not been fulfilled,” Clinton said during a trip to Ivory Coast. “We regret that the president has thus far failed to comply with his own commitments to leave the country, to permit elections to go forward that give the people a chance to be heard and be represented.” Yemen unrest may force election delay: Qirbi In Dubai, Yemen's foreign minister said a planned Feb. 21 presidential election may have to be delayed, an announcement that will raise fears for a UN-backed transition plan designed to end months of unrest in the impoverished country. The comments – the first suggestion that the vote might be held up – will likely anger activists and opposition groups keen to see a quick transfer of power after months of unrest. The February election was part of a deal brokered by Gulf countries and supported by Washington and Riyadh to ease Saleh out of power after nearly a year of protests against his 33-year rule.
