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Ambassadors flown out of besieged Sanaa embassy
Posted: May 22, 2011 3:48 PM by AP Posted by James H Egbert
SANAA, Yemen (AP) - Witnesses say Yemeni army helicopters took U.S. and other ambassadors out of a besieged embassy to the presidential palace to witness ruling party leaders signing an agreement for the president to step down in 30 days.
However, state TV says President Ali Abdullah Saleh will not sign the deal unless opposition leaders are present.
The U.S., European and Arab ambassadors, who were pressing Saleh to sign the accord, were trapped for hours Sunday in an embassy by an armed mob of the president's supporters.
Eventually, Yemeni army helicopters ferried the diplomats out to the palace.
State TV then showed ruling party leaders signing the pact at the palace as Saleh and the U.S. ambassador stood behind them. Saleh himself did not sign.
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