<p>Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh Monday marked the end of his 33-year rule in the Middle East nation by formally handing over power to newly-elected president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Xinhua reported.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The formal power transfer was held in the presidential palace in the capital Sana'a.The short ceremony was attended by high-ranked local and foreign officials, including visiting secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council Abdullatif al-Zayani, Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi and UN envoy to Yemen Jamal bin Omar.<br /><br />Saleh, who stepped down after a year of protests, promised to stand by Hadi who was endorsed for a two-year interim term after he obtained more than 99 percent of votes in the Feb 21 presidential election.<br /><br />"The security of Yemen is part of the security of the region," Saleh said, and urged the international community to back his successor's efforts to rebuild the country.<br /><br />"Today, we are laying a new base for the peaceful transfer of power," he said.<br /><br />Saleh wore gloves on his hands which were injured in a bomb attack on his palace in June last year. He went for treatment in Saudi Arabia and the US.<br /><br />Saleh returned to Sana'a Saturday after completing nearly a month of medical treatment in New York.<br /><br />Hadi expressed his appreciation for Saleh.<br /><br />"The crisis is complicated and difficult and needs the cooperation of all the honourable people," Hadi said.<br /><br />"I hope that we meet after two years to say goodbye to my leadership and receive a new leadership," he said.<br /><br />The ceremony was boycotted by the opposition coalition, including the transitional government's prime minister Mohamed Basindwa.<br /><br />The election was part of a UN-backed power transfer deal brokered by neighbouring oil-rich Gulf countries. It was agreed to by Saleh and the opposition coalition in November to end the massive protests in the country.<br /><br />In a TV speech Saturday, the new president vowed to carry out reforms during his transitional term, to open a national dialogue with all political factions in Yemen, and to continue the battle against Al Qaeda.</p>
<p>Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh Monday marked the end of his 33-year rule in the Middle East nation by formally handing over power to newly-elected president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Xinhua reported.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The formal power transfer was held in the presidential palace in the capital Sana'a.The short ceremony was attended by high-ranked local and foreign officials, including visiting secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council Abdullatif al-Zayani, Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi and UN envoy to Yemen Jamal bin Omar.<br /><br />Saleh, who stepped down after a year of protests, promised to stand by Hadi who was endorsed for a two-year interim term after he obtained more than 99 percent of votes in the Feb 21 presidential election.<br /><br />"The security of Yemen is part of the security of the region," Saleh said, and urged the international community to back his successor's efforts to rebuild the country.<br /><br />"Today, we are laying a new base for the peaceful transfer of power," he said.<br /><br />Saleh wore gloves on his hands which were injured in a bomb attack on his palace in June last year. He went for treatment in Saudi Arabia and the US.<br /><br />Saleh returned to Sana'a Saturday after completing nearly a month of medical treatment in New York.<br /><br />Hadi expressed his appreciation for Saleh.<br /><br />"The crisis is complicated and difficult and needs the cooperation of all the honourable people," Hadi said.<br /><br />"I hope that we meet after two years to say goodbye to my leadership and receive a new leadership," he said.<br /><br />The ceremony was boycotted by the opposition coalition, including the transitional government's prime minister Mohamed Basindwa.<br /><br />The election was part of a UN-backed power transfer deal brokered by neighbouring oil-rich Gulf countries. It was agreed to by Saleh and the opposition coalition in November to end the massive protests in the country.<br /><br />In a TV speech Saturday, the new president vowed to carry out reforms during his transitional term, to open a national dialogue with all political factions in Yemen, and to continue the battle against Al Qaeda.</p>