Yemeni opposition rejects Saleh stance on handover

SANAA, May 6 (Reuters): Yemen's opposition on Friday dismissed President Ali Abdullah Saleh's stance on a revised Gulf plan to ease him out of power, as security forces gathered in anticipation of mass demonstrations for and against him. The ruling party said on Thursday night that Saleh would not sign the deal until after representatives of the ruling party and the opposition had signed. Opposition leader Sultan Atwani told Reuters on Friday his coalition would not accept. The plan proposed by the Gulf Cooperation Council envisages Saleh stepping down 30 days after signing the deal in the hope that this will end three months of bitter protests demanding his resignation, in which at least 130 people have been killed. But the opposition distrusts Saleh, a wily political survivor for over 30 years and until now a key ally of the United States and Saudi Arabia in the fight against al Qaeda.