Yemen talks stumble over north-south divide

Reconciliation talks in Yemen have stumbled over the future form of the state, with ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh's party rejecting a north-south federation, delegates and officials say.
A special committee formed equally of northern and southern representatives was this week close to signing a roadmap to solve the issue of the formerly independent south Yemen.
But the signing of such an accord has been put off as the two representatives of Saleh's General People's Congress walked out and the GPC suspended its participation, rejecting any bid to "harm the unity of the homeland".
"The main problem is related to the form of the state: should it be formed of two regions, or several," said Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, secretary general of the national dialogue.

The talks are part of a transitional process stipulated by a UN-backed initiative, brokered by neighbouring Gulf countries, which ended a year of protests and eased Saleh out of office in February 2012, after 33 years as president.
The dialogue is tasked with drafting a new constitution and preparing for a referendum and elections next year.

But progress in the dialogue has not been smooth, and appears likely to miss the new Thursday deadline for committees to submit their recommendations.
The north-south committee has "stopped work because the representatives of the GPC have suspended their participation," said Mubarak, pointing out that the GPC has made its position clear on the outcome of the committee's work.

He said the problem goes beyond differences over the number of regions in the future federation, to a struggle between forces wanting to create a new political system and others vying to maintain the status quo.
"On the surface, the problem is about the number of regions, but at its core is a struggle between forces of the past wanting to preserve their interests, and other forces wanting to create a new political system," he said.