Yemen's Saleh arrives in US for treatment

US: Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is due to step down next month, arrived Saturday in the United States on a politically sensitive visit to seek medical treatment for wounds inflicted in a bombing.

The embattled leader flew from Oman to the United States with a brief refueling stop at Stansted Airport outside London, ending days of speculation about whether or when he would make the trip.

"President Saleh arrived this evening in the USA for a short-term private medical visit," Mohammed Albasha, a spokesman for the Yemeni embassy in Washington, said in a statement.

In keeping with days of secrecy over his movements, there was no immediate confirmation of where Saleh went upon arrival. A British source told AFP that Saleh was en route to New York when he made the refueling stop near London.

However, despite media reports that Saleh would be treated at New York Presbyterian Hospital, a spokeswoman for the hospital, Kathy Robinson, told AFP: "The president is not currently a patient." In addition to providing Saleh an opportunity to seek medical help, his departure is seen as helping to ease the transition in his country from three decades of his rule.

After months of bloody protests in Yemen, Saleh finally signed a power transfer deal in November that effectively ended his reign. In London, a Foreign Office spokesman welcomed the Yemeni leader's exit.

"At a time of continuing unrest in Yemen and the threat of escalating violence, we see it as helpful for President Saleh to be out of the country in the run up to interim presidential elections in February," the British spokesman said.

AFP