Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said that he will not resign his position immediately and that any protester seeking power has to gain it through elections and not force.

News agencies have reported that Saleh has also reiterated his offer to opposition parties the opportunity to partake in discussions that could lead to a power-sharing arrangement in the country.

However, the opposition to the government has rejected the offer blaming the violence perpetrated by pro-government supporters against demonstrators.

Saleh, who is now under mounting pressure both domestically and internally to stop attacks on demonstrators, has also accused the anti-government lobby of trying to “seize power through anarchy and killing”.

President Saleh has been in power for 32 years and has already offered not to run for re-election and not to hand over power to his son.