Yemeni vice president outlines national reconciliation as priority

'a, Feb 8(ANI): Yemeni Vice President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi has said his priority as the country's next head of state will be to foster national reconciliation among separatists in the south and insurgents in the north, and undertake several democratic political reforms.

Hadi is set to officially take over as Yemen's new leader after February 21 according to an internationally negotiated power transfer agreement that ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh and created a new coalition government between opposition and former ruling party members.

All Yemenis over 18 years of age will be empowered to elect Hadi for a two-year term, who will be the only candidate for the post, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Yemeni officials and international diplomats admitted that Hadi's candidature would not be affected by a low turnout, provoking questions why the government is spending the nation's scarce financial resources on organizing the referendum in the security-challenged country.

The United Nations Development Program, which is helping Yemen organize the poll, said that ballots would be distributed in all provinces despite security concerns.(ANI)