Embattled Yemeni President Rejects Gulf Exit Plan

Embattled Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Friday rejected a plan for his exit offered by Gulf States trying to broker an end to bloody protests, in a speech broadcast on state television.

"Our power comes from the power of our great people, not from Qatar, not from anyone else. This is blatant interference in Yemeni affairs," Saleh told a massive crowd of regime supporters in Sanaa.

"We were born free, and we have free will, and they have to respect our wishes. We reject any coup against democracy, the constitution and our freedom," he said.

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani said on Thursday that members of the Gulf Cooperation Council "hope to reach a deal with the Yemeni president to step down."