即将下台的也门总统萨利赫正在前往美国就医。在此之前，他请求也门人民宽恕他在33年统治中的“缺点”。萨利赫星期天乘坐飞机离开也门首都萨那前往 阿曼。预计他将在那里做短暂停留，然后前往纽约。美国国务院星期天发布的消息指出，萨利赫的来美请求已获批准，他此行的唯一目的是就医，预计他在美国的停 留时间有限。
萨利赫在临行几小时前发表电视告别演讲，他请求也门人民宽恕他在33年独裁统治中的错误。他还表示一定会回到也门，继续领导 他所属的执政党。萨利赫去年6 月底在总统府遭炸弹袭击时受重伤，并在沙特阿拉伯休养了几个月。他此前曾表示过要到美国进一步治疗的愿望。也门反对派活动人士举行了长达一年的大规模抗 议，要求他立即下台。也门的抗议受到了该地区其它国家民众起义的鼓舞。
Outgoing Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is heading to the United States for medical treatment after asking his people to forgive him for any "shortcomings" during his 33-year rule.Mr. Saleh departed the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, Sunday on a jet for the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman, where he is expected to stay for a short time before traveling on to New York.A U.S. State Department release Sunday noted that Mr. Saleh's request to travel to the United States had been approved for the sole purpose of medical treatment, and that his stay will be for a limited time.
In a televised farewell speech just hours before he left, the Yemeni leader asked his people to forgive him for mistakes made during his autocratic rule. He also vowed to return to Yemen and continue leading his ruling ((General People's Congress)) party. Mr. Saleh was severely wounded in a bomb attack on his presidential compound last June and spent several months recuperating in Saudi Arabia. He has spoken previously of a desire to seek further treatment in the United States. Yemeni opposition activists have staged a year of mass protests demanding his immediate ouster, inspired by popular uprisings in other parts of the region.